In a daring act, Karnataka youth grabs leopard’s tail, helps foresters capture big cat

Tiptur (Tumakuru district): In a daring act, a young villager on Monday grabbed the tail of a leopard that had been prowling around the farms of Chikkakottigenahalli in Tiptur, to help foresters capture the big cat. On Tuesday, the foresters shifted it to the rehabilitation centre in Mysuru.

The leopard was first spotted in the vast garden of Kottigenahalli resident Mallikarjunayya a few days ago. The villagers alerted the Forest Department, which deployed personnel to capture the three-year-old leopard.

Although the foresters tried their best, the leopard, owing to the excited cries of the villagers who had gathered, evaded the nets and traps. It was only when Anand, a resident of Rangapura, grabbed the visibly exhausted leopard’s tail that the foresters were able to ensnare it.

The operation was carried out under the supervision of Deputy Conservator of Forests (Tumakuru) Anupama, Assistant Conservator of Forests Bharath, Forest Officer Madhu and Deputy Forest Officer Pradeep.