Black panther captured in Tinsukia

Dibrugarh: A black panther, terrorising residents of Jogipathar village in Tinsukia district, was successfully captured early Tuesday morning, bringing relief to locals living in fear for over two weeks.The melanistic leopard, locally known as ‘ghoong', had been responsible for numerous attacks on livestock, causing significant losses to farmers in the area. After the villagers alerted the forest department, it set up an iron cage few days ago, with a goat as bait. In the early hours of Tuesday, the panther was trapped while attempting to catch the decoy."The animal's health is our priority now. Once we complete the necessary medical treatment, we plan to release it in a remote section of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, far from human settlements," wildlife veterinarian Dr Amit Sharma said.The black panther, which is a melanistic variant of the Indian leopard, is protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, making it one of India's most strictly protected species.