Leopard rescued in Kambalu Gollarahatti in Nelamangala.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: A week after a woman was killed in a leopard attack, a male leopard was rescued from Kambalu Gollarahatti village at the foot of Shivagange Hills in Nelamangala taluk on Monday.
Forest officers had placed cages at several places around the hill after Kariyamma, aged around 50 years, was killed on September 17. On Monday, officials found a male leopard aged around eight years in the cage.
However, officials are waiting for laboratory tests to confirm whether the animal rescued from the site was involved in the attack. "We have collected blood samples of the animal and sent it to the National Centre for Biological Sciences. A DNA analysis will confirm whether the leopard was involved in the attack," sources said.
Meanwhile, villagers have said that there were two to three leopards in the area and urged the forest department to "capture" them all. Officials said the confirmation of the DNA test will help them to decide on further operations.
Bengaluru Rural Deputy Conservator of Forests Sarina Sikkaligar said Shivagange hill and surrounding forest area was a leopard habitat. "There may be about seven leopards. The animals and humans there have coexisted in the habitat. We will continue our operations till we identify and shift the problem animal," she said.