Even five days after it attacked a couple at a forest road near Puttur, forest personnel on the trail of an elusive leopard are yet to find any signs of its presence.
Though fear continues to persist at the fringe villages of Puttur range, particularly at the foothills in Narayanavanam mandal headquarters, there is a sigh of relief that the “stray visitor” could have left the range. The couple was attacked in the forest between Narayananam and Singirikona waterfalls, 10 km from Puttur, on July 26.
Forest Range Officer (Puttur) K. Subramanyam said a thorough search was launched in the range to trace the leopard, but in vain.“Going by the prevailing situation, we are sure that the leopard does not have its habitat in Puttur range, but must be a visitor by chance from somewhere else. In view of the hilly terrain, which is also spread over a vast area into neighbouring ranges, we can’t immediately arrive at a final conclusion. As no further attacks have been reported from anywhere since five days, the chances of the leopard making a habitat for itself over here are very remote,” he said.
The FRO said setting up of camera traps at forest locations susceptible to the leopard’s movement is under consideration. Mr Subramanyam urged the people not to be casual while visiting the waterfalls in forest areas, but to keep a watch on the surroundings.
First time
The forest officials said that it was for the first time that sighting of a leopard was reported in the Puttur range. Moreover, several villages witnessed the unusual presence of three jumbos followed by destruction of crops between January and May this year, after the group strayed into the region from Tamil Nadu forests. While two of them retreated into their habitat, one tusker turned a loner and was electrocuted in the fields near Puttur on May 23.
