In a well-planned rescue operation jointly carried out by the Forest Department and Centre of Wildlife Science, Veterinary University with other wildlife experts, a leopard trapped in a sharp-edged fence wire but before the leopard could be rescued and freed itself and ran back into the forest. The leopard was further tracked by the Forest Department team with the help of a drone and was found in a good condition.

 

About the incident, a leopard was injured after getting trapped in a fence installed around a field at village Bichua at Amjhar Ghati under Kundam range of Forest Department. The Forest Department’s officers carried out rescue operation to release the leopard from the fence, but seeing a large number of people around, the leopard became aggressive and before the team could tranquilise it to release it safely, it freed itself from the fence and escaped. Early on Saturday morning, the villagers heard growling of a wild animal in pain at the corner of a field attached with forest area. When the villagers reached the spot, they found a leopard trapped in the fence wire installed at a field. The leopard was injured and was growling in pain.

 

Villagers immediately called the Forest Department and the department team led by Divisional Forest Officer Rishi Mishra reached the spot. The veterinary team led by Dr Somesh Singh and accompanied by Dhananjay Ghosh, Rescue Squad Incharge, Gulab Singh and wildlife expert, Manish Kulshreshtha also reached the spot with necessary equipment for safe rescue of the leopard. They kept a constant eye on the animal from a safe distance and were prepared with safety shields and tranquilisation gun as last option if required. Meanwhile, seeing such a large number of people around, the leopard became aggressive and successfully released itself with a force and ran into the jungle. Later, the Forest team tried to monitor the wild cat through a drone and found that it was showing a normal gait. DFO Rishi Mishra said that they also did munadi for villagers to maintain alertness and in case they observe any threat they immediately inform the forest team.