Leopard attacks caretaker at Bannerghatta Biological Park; staffer seriously injured

A leopard seriously injured caretaker Shantappa at Bannerghatta Biological Park on Friday morning. Despite being moved for enclosure cleaning, the big cat squeezed through a narrow gap and attacked his neck and chest. This follows two high-profile safari bus attacks in late 2025

Bengaluru: A leopard attacked a caretaker at the Bannerghatta Biological Park on Friday morning, leaving him seriously injured.

The Bannerghatta Biological Park is located on the outskirts of Bengaluru city and a large number of people from the city visit it. The victim, identified as Shantappa, was reportedly carrying out cleaning work inside the leopard’s enclosure when the incident occurred at around 8.30 am.

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The park falls under the jurisdiction of the Bannerghatta police station.

According to preliminary information, the leopard had been fed chicken and mutton on Thursday night as part of its regular diet. As per standard procedure, the animals are shifted to a separate enclosure in the morning to facilitate cleaning of their cages. After the cleaning work is completed, the animals are returned to their usual enclosures.

However, officials said that despite being shifted to another cage, the leopard managed to sneak through a narrow gap and attacked Shantappa during the cleaning process. Shantappa sustained serious injuries to his neck, face and chest in the attack. He was immediately rushed to a hospital in Jigani, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, where he is currently undergoing treatment.

Hospital sources said he is recovering. Further details are awaited.

Recent incidents at Bannerghatta Biological Park involved leopards attacking tourist buses, injuring a 56-year-old Chennai woman in November 2025 and a 13-year-old boy in August 2025, when the big cats clawed them through open windows or mesh, leading to temporary suspension of non-AC safaris for safety reviews, reinforcing mesh, and stricter rules for following instructions to prevent future incidents.

These incidents, which occurred in the leopard safari zone, sparked widespread concern about tourist safety and human-wildlife conflict in one of Bengaluru’s most popular attractions.

Bannerghatta Biological Park, sprawling across 20 hectares, hosts South India’s first and the country’s largest leopard safari, drawing thousands of visitors. Bannerghatta Biological Park is a part of Bannerghatta National Park, but operates as a distinct entity. A portion of the park was carved out to form the Bannerghatta Biological Park to cater to eco-recreation and eco-tourism.