A mother leopard that had left two of its cubs at an abandoned building at Ummini near Olavakode in Palakkad two days ago took away one of them on Monday night. The Forest and Wildlife officials were hopeful that the leopard might turn up again to take the second cub on Tuesday night.
The Wildlife authorities had kept an iron cage next to the abandoned building where the leopard cubs were found on Sunday. As expected, the mother leopard turned up on Sunday and Monday nights looking for its cubs. The leopard was caught in the camera traps thrice on Sunday night.
However, on Monday night, the leopard came and gingerly took away one of the two cubs kept inside the iron cage. The leopard managed to carry the cub without getting trapped.
“In fact, it has reduced our burden. We expect the leopard to take away its second cub too, maybe tonight (Tuesday),” said Palakkad Divisional Forest Officer Srinivas Kurra.
Mr. Kurra said they would wait for two more days for the mother leopard to rejoin its cub. The leopard is believed to have carried the other cub to a safer place either inside the forest or somewhere in the periphery.
Wildlife officials fed the remaining cub with goat milk on Tuesday. It was also examined by a veterinarian. Officials said they would place the cub in the cage on Tuesday night too, expecting the mother come and take it away.
The two female cubs found in the building were less than 10 days old, and they were hardly able to move. Their eyes were not fully open. The Forest and Wildlife department was concerned about the rehabilitation of the cubs.
“Our first priority is to help the cubs rejoin their mother. It will be possible only in the initial three-four days,” said Chief Wildlife Warden K.V. Uthaman.
Meanwhile, local residents were alarmed over the presence of the leopard. They demanded that the Wildlife authorities catch the big cat and drop it deep in the forest along with the cubs.
The Wildlife authorities said they were concerned about the safety of both the people and the animals. “We are trying our best to rehabilitate the cubs in the most natural way even while addressing the concerns of the local presidents,” said Mr. Kurra.
