The leopard in Murbad taluka continued to evade forest department officials on Monday. With two people being killed in the last four days, tempers have been rising in the area and heavy rains dampened the search mission.
The forest department has set up five trap cages. But a senior official from Thane (territorial) said that the leopard seems to be well aware of the cages. “On several occasions, it came close to the trap cages but not even once entered them. This means that it has been trapped earlier as well,” he said.
Though forest officials are armed with an order to shoot the leopard under the Wildlife Act, they are more keen on trapping the leopard than shooting it.
“We have written to the superintendent of police (SP), Thane (rural), to provide sharpshooters to shoot the leopard, if required. However, our emphasis is on trapping the leopard either in a cage or by tranquilising as we don't want to put down a wild animal,” said KP Singh, chief conservator of forest (CCF), Thane (territorial).
According to sources, the forest staff, including the tranquilising team, is already moving around six villages where the leopard movement was tracked. Shooters from Thane were expected to join them by late Monday evening.
However, rains made the operation difficult since Monday morning. It was after 7 PM when there was some respite, the teams started intensive search.
In fact, on Monday, the forest department set up a makeshift control room in Tokawade village. “We have circulated several pamphlets with the mobile numbers of the forest staff across several villages like Singapur, Vaishakhare, Tokawade and others in about a 10-km range and have asked people to alert us if they spot the leopard,” said a forest official.
Given the open landscape, it is extremely difficult to keep track of the leopard, and, hence, this was one of the best options. By Monday evening, there were several fake alerts too.
On Sunday evening, it claimed the second victim, Barku Bhoir (52), who was grazing cattle in the Palu-Sonawale dam area, barely 5 km from where the leopard claimed its first victim, 54-year-old Mirabai Vare.
“We are now only focusing on ensuring that no human life is lost and hence we have been asking villagers not to venture out alone and not to allow children to go to school alone. While people are extremely scared, we are telling them to take basic precautions for a few days till we trap the big cat,” said another senior forest official.
The forest department has set up five trap cages. But a senior official from Thane (territorial) said that the leopard seems to be well aware of the cages. “On several occasions, it came close to the trap cages but not even once entered them. This means that it has been trapped earlier as well,” he said.
Though forest officials are armed with an order to shoot the leopard under the Wildlife Act, they are more keen on trapping the leopard than shooting it.
“We have written to the superintendent of police (SP), Thane (rural), to provide sharpshooters to shoot the leopard, if required. However, our emphasis is on trapping the leopard either in a cage or by tranquilising as we don't want to put down a wild animal,” said KP Singh, chief conservator of forest (CCF), Thane (territorial).
According to sources, the forest staff, including the tranquilising team, is already moving around six villages where the leopard movement was tracked. Shooters from Thane were expected to join them by late Monday evening.
However, rains made the operation difficult since Monday morning. It was after 7 PM when there was some respite, the teams started intensive search.
In fact, on Monday, the forest department set up a makeshift control room in Tokawade village. “We have circulated several pamphlets with the mobile numbers of the forest staff across several villages like Singapur, Vaishakhare, Tokawade and others in about a 10-km range and have asked people to alert us if they spot the leopard,” said a forest official.
Given the open landscape, it is extremely difficult to keep track of the leopard, and, hence, this was one of the best options. By Monday evening, there were several fake alerts too.
On Sunday evening, it claimed the second victim, Barku Bhoir (52), who was grazing cattle in the Palu-Sonawale dam area, barely 5 km from where the leopard claimed its first victim, 54-year-old Mirabai Vare.
“We are now only focusing on ensuring that no human life is lost and hence we have been asking villagers not to venture out alone and not to allow children to go to school alone. While people are extremely scared, we are telling them to take basic precautions for a few days till we trap the big cat,” said another senior forest official.