Fourth leopard caught by forest dept in Bahraich since September 29

Bahraich: A fourth leopard was caught in the past 12 days after a cage trap was set up by the forest department in a village under Kakraha range of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, a forest department official said on Thursday.

Forest Range Officer DP Kanaujia said the leopard, a female, has been brought to the range office, and its age is more than three years.

Kanaujia told reporters that in view of the continuous arrival of leopards in the area, a cage was set up by the forest department in Muravanpurva village of Gram Panchayat Bejha, in which the leopard was caught at midnight on Wednesday.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), B Shiv Shankar said the health check-up of the leopard will be done by a team of three doctors. The decision regarding where to release it will be taken on the orders of higher officials, he added.

In view of the incidents of human-wildlife conflict and leopard attacks on domestic cattle occurring in the residential villages adjacent to the forests of Katarniaghat, four leopards have been caught in cages set up by the forest department on the demand of the villagers since September 29.

On September 26, a leopard attacked 2 residents from Harkhapur village of Dharmapur forest range and  Ayodhya Purva village of Sujauli range and seriously injured them. On September 29, a leopard attacked and killed a person in Dharmapur Bejha village of Kakraha range of Katarniaghat sanctuary. On October 1, a leopard attacked and injured a resident of Ayodhyapur village of Sujauli range.

Leopards also entered the residential areas adjacent to the forest and hunted many domestic cattle.

A male leopard was caged in Dharampur Bejha on the September 29, a female leopard was caged in Ayodhyapurva of Sujauli range on the night of October 2 and a male leopard was caged in Rampur Bejha village adjacent to the forest of Kakraha range on October 3.

These three leopards were released in the Trans Gerua forest of Katarniaghat.

PTI