Two leopards that have been active and involved in killing of cattle

Forest department officials have confirmed that it is not one but two leopards that have been active and involved in killing of cattle for the past few months in Medak district. The first reported cattle kill, that of a calf, came on December 30, 2017. The latest was reported on the night of May 2. The leopards have been sneaking into villages near the Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary and feeding on cattle.

Initially it was suspected that one leopard was involved in the killings, recent camera trap images and analysis of the patterns on the skin of the animals, have confirmed the forest department’s worst fears. “We had an wildlife image analysis expert from Bangalore go through all the camera trap images and it is now certain that two leopards are moving around the area and are involved in cattle kills,” Medak District Forest Officer M Padmajarani told Telangana Today.While efforts are on to trap the leopards by placing trap cages with live bait in areas that they have been frequenting, the forest department has had no luck so far. Since December last, the leopards, between them, have notched up about 25 cattle kills.

It is also feared by some officials that if the male leopard, as when trapped, is identified as the one that was caught in a cage last year and released deep inside the sanctuary, then it would have to be moved to a zoo. “When a big cat is caught more than once in a cage or is tranquilized more than once, then the trauma of the trapping experience stays with it and it may become aggressive with humans,” Padmaja Rani said.

If the male leopard involved in the current spell of cattle kills is positively identified based on the skin patterns from pictures taken last year and now, then, it will be moved to a zoo, the official said.

“We hope that with a few rains like the sudden spells we have been having, there will be more grass in the forest that will keep the herbivores inside. This in turn will keep the carniovres in the forest coupled with increased availability of water,” K Devilal, the forest range officer for Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary said.

“We have already seen leopard kills of deer and wild boar in the forest. The frequency of attacks on cattle has come down and we hope it will end soon,” he added.