Leopard captured on CCTV in Kadri; cage placed, surveillance intensified

Mangaluru: The forest department intensified surveillance in the Kadri area after a leopard was spotted on a CCTV camera near Doctors Colony.DCF Antony Mariyappa said the department received the CCTV footage and deployed staff in the area. A cage was placed on Wednesday, and the situation is being closely monitored, he said.
The leopard's movement was recorded on Tuesday night, and officials suspect this was not the first such sighting in the locality. "Our priority is to safely capture the leopard, and hence we cannot adopt aggressive measures. The cage will be kept for about a week to attract the animal," the DCF said.He said the department is following standard operating procedures for capturing and relocating the animal. To reassure residents, forest staff have been stationed in the area, and people were advised to maintain a safe distance from the cage. Officials also noted that leopards are nocturnal and generally avoid human interaction. "In fact, the animal is more scared of humans," he said.The department issued general safety guidelines, urging residents to avoid late-night walks alone, and to remain vigilant.On the increasing instances of leopard sightings in Mangaluru city, Mariyappa said such movements were reported in areas like Shaktinagar and Vamanjoor, which were once a forested belt. "Habitat loss and fragmentation due to developmental requirements are forcing wildlife to move closer to human settlements. However, the number of such incidents in Mangaluru is still relatively low compared to other cities and districts in the state," he said.He also pointed out that improper waste disposal contributes to the issue. "Waste dumping leads to a rise in stray dog populations around garbage sites, which in turn attracts leopards into urban areas in search of prey," he added.