Hyderabad, January 28: The leopard sighted in city outskirts has probably moved onto another territory, according to forest officials.
Since the last two days, there has been no sign of the wild cat in and around Chary Nagar, where it was first sighted about a week back.
Failing for two days to lure the four-year-old leopard with a dog bait, forest officials have decided to change the bait to a goat. A 12-member team has been on night vigil since the last three days.
“While dogs are known to be a prefer red prey, the leopard has not returned.
They are not known to stick around a same place for long and this one seems to have strayed in from neighbouring forest areas in Chilkur,” said forest section officer, K Nagendra Babu.
Chary Nagar is a remote village amidst forest-like vegetation which may have led the leopard to stray near the human settlement, said Babu. However, the leopard hasn’t attacked villagers or cattle till now.
Meanwhile, forest officials made fresh assessment and altered the position of the cage trap, after zeroing in on another spot adjacent to a water pit near the village. “Our team surveyed the area again today but no fresh signs or pug marks have been spotted. While we changed the bait to a goat for tonight, we will continue to keep watch. In case the leopard doesn’t return, it is likely that it has moved onto hunt in the adjacent areas,” Babu said.
–Agencies