Leopard caught from Bhavnagar village

06-11-2009
Leopard caught from Bhavnagar village
Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Leopard-caught-from-Bhavnagar-village/articleshow/5204306.cms

The leopard that had been thwarting forest department's attempt to trap it for the past three days was finally captured from Sanosara village of Sihor taluka on Friday.

According to forest officials, the leopard was sighted on Wednesday morning by a farm labourer who alerted the forest department. "Woman Jaya Jamod, who was working in a farm of the village spotted the leopard and informed us. A cage was set up with a live bait of goat inside. However, the big cat did not show interest in it and kept evading us for two nights," said a forester.

Meanwhile, foresters observing the cage sighted the leopard on Friday afternoon. "As the leopard was approaching towards the cage, one of the officials fired an injectable dart from his rifle, which had a tranquillising effect within a few minutes on the big cat. We carried the leopard to Sasan, where we plan to release it in the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary," the forester added.

The leopard is believed to have entered the village after crossing Shetrunji mountain range.