Dept on toes as leopards seen in Budgam

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 21

After spotting of two leopards in the city forest of Budgam, there is panic among the residents for the past over one month. The authorities have launched joint operations to check any harm to people and take preventive measures for wild animals.

According to officials of the wildlife department, two leopards were spotted around the city forest at Ompora near Budgam district, about 20 km from here, causing panic among the residents of nearby areas.

While the efforts of the wildlife department have not yielded any result so far, joint operations were launched with other departments, including forests, territorial forests, Forest Protection Force and soil conservation department on Friday.

“Three divisions of the wildlife department have joined the operation,” Raashid Naqash, Regional Wildlife Warden, told The Tribune, while overlooking the operations on the spot on Friday. He said the common leopard is usually found in suburbs having vegetation.

“Since the forest is close to populated area, there is panic, but no untoward incident has taken place,” Naqash said, adding that the department had already set up teams “to look for the possible movement of the animals, which can be caged and taken to a safer place of its habitation”.

“We have also issued dos and don’ts for the population as preventive measures to check any untoward incident,” Naqash said.