Leopard trapped after three months near Tirumala Dev Gutta of Mahabubnagar

A leopard that had been roaming Tirumala Dev Gutta in Mahabubnagar for three months was finally trapped on Monday. The animal had created panic among devotees and locals. It will be examined at Nehru Zoo Park before being released into the wild.

Mahabubnagar: The leopard that had been roaming around Tirumala Dev Gutta in the town for the past three months was finally trapped in a cage on Monday.

Residents had been living in fear after sighting the leopard several times on the temple hillock. Every three to four days, the animal would appear, leaving devotees visiting the temple in panic. On a few occasions, it even ventured close to residential areas.

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The Forest Department had struggled to capture the leopard despite setting up camera traps, which confirmed its movements. Two cages were placed to trap the animal, and on Monday morning locals noticed it had entered one. They immediately alerted officials.

Forest officials rushed to the spot and conducted medical tests to assess the leopard’s health.

Arrangements are being made to shift it to Nehru Zoo Park in Hyderabad for further checks and treatment, if required. Based on veterinary recommendations, the leopard will be released back into the wild.