The leopard has been released into the Bannerghatta National Park after inserting a chip.
Credit: Forest Department
Officials of the Bengaluru Urban forest division on Thursday rescued a leopard that had strayed into a house in Jigani town in South Bengaluru.
Venkatesh and his wife, both senior citizens, who live on the ground floor of a three-storey building on SLN Road, saw the leopard casually walking into their home. The female leopard, aged over 3 years, was also calm.
Flummoxed forest officials are presuming the animal must have strayed from the nearby Ragihalli forest of the Bannerghatta National Park.
"The aged couple showed exceptional presence of mind by not panicking at the sight of the leopard. They quietly locked the door from the outside and called for help," said V Ganesh, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru South division, who led the operation. Several hundreds of people had gathered outside to witness this spectacle.
N Ravindrakumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Urban, said they were trying to understand the movement of the animal. "We may get further details in the coming days. Right now, the animal was darted safely without any incident. It has been released into the Bannerghatta National Park, after inserting a chip," he said.
Dr Kiran from the Bannerghatta rescue centre darted at the leopard when it was hiding under a cot.
Ganesh said the farmlands across Jigani have been converted into layouts over the last 10 years, which has added to the problem of increased sightings. "The animals are forced to search for new areas for prey," he added.