How was the leopard captured in Jaipur after causing chaos for two days?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Leopard captured after two days of evasion.
- Rescue efforts delayed, causing community frustration.
- Wildlife interactions in urban areas raise safety concerns.
- Leopard now under medical observation at Nahargarh Biological Park.
- Importance of timely responses from wildlife authorities emphasized.
Jaipur, Nov 28 (NationPress) After successfully avoiding capture for almost two days, a leopard wandering through crowded neighborhoods of Jaipur was apprehended late Thursday night. The Forest Department team managed to tranquilize the creature following extensive efforts when it took refuge inside a garage of a residence located in Qureshi Colony, close to Chandpol Bazaar.
However, the delay in the rescue team's response led to frustration among local residents, who voiced their concerns about authorities taking over 90 minutes to arrive after being notified. Eyewitnesses reported that the leopard was first spotted in a garage just 20 meters away from the Saroj Cinema Hall.
The homeowner, Mohammad Sabir, recounted seeing the leopard at night, promptly closing the shutters, and alerting the Forest Department. Prior to finding shelter in the garage, the leopard allegedly traversed several locations — starting from Saroj Cinema Hall, then to Mansoori Manzil, before reaching Sabir's home. The rescue crew finally showed up around 9:30 PM, by which time hundreds of onlookers had gathered, complicating the operation.
After numerous attempts, the big cat was tranquilized at approximately 12:20 AM. It then managed to scale a 40-foot wall before collapsing due to the anesthetic. The leopard was safely placed in a cage at 12:50 AM.
The leopard was first noticed on Wednesday in the Nehru Nagar and Panipech areas. On Thursday morning, it was observed near Sikar House locality, where CCTV footage captured it darting across rooftops and navigating roads while vehicles passed by. Despite the pursuit, the Forest Department team lost track of the leopard as it traveled nearly 4 kilometers through bustling residential lanes.
Forest Ranger Ajit Meena confirmed that most sightings were primarily based on CCTV footage rather than direct tracking.
Dinesh Panchauli, a local from Sikar House Colony, noted that at first, he mistook the sounds on his terrace for a monkey. Upon stepping outside, he was astonished to find a leopard only a few meters away.
In mere minutes, the leopard leaped across rooftops and disappeared into Kalyan Colony.
In a separate incident, a one-year-old male leopard cub fell into a well in Rundal Naka, Achrol. Wildlife veterinarian Dr. Arvind Mathur descended into the well in a cage to safely retrieve the cub, which has now been transferred to the Nahargarh Biological Park for medical assessment.