DOOMDOOMA: A leopard which had been spotted by many people of the Samdang Tea Garden located in the Tinsukia district of the state was finally trapped in a cage placed by the forest department.
The local people had complained that two leopards had been plaguing the region in the past few days. They had also consumed many of the pet animals in the past and posed a major threat to the humans. And so, the local people decided to complain against them to the forest department. Taking action based on these complaints, the authorities decided to place a trap in the tea garden.
The first leopard was captured using the same trap a few days back. And now the second leopard has been caught in the trap. The trapped leopards are to be released in a nearby forest by the forest authorities.
About a month back, the forest department captured two leopards while another was knocked to death reportedly by a speeding vehicle in the Dibrugarh district.
Officials in the forest department said that a full-grown leopard was found dead on the NH-37 near Dikom in the wee hours. The animal might have tried to cross the highway when it was probably hit by a speeding vehicle due to which it died, an official said.
On the other hand, a leopard each was captured at Maijan and Singlijan tea estates on Sunday. The forest department personnel had set up cages in these gardens after complaints were received about leopards creating terror in these gardens and its adjoining areas.
“Man-animal conflict has been rising in Assam due to shrinking of forest covers. The problem should be addressed at the earliest. In village areas leopards are spotted many a times. They are moving towards human settlements in search of food. As a result the conflict arise,” said an environmentalist.
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