DIBRUGARH, June 28: A leopard that had been preying on livestock and spreading fear among residents for nearly three weeks was captured at Bokpara Tea Estate in Dibrugarh district on Sunday morning.
The Forest Department had installed an iron cage inside the tea estate four days ago following repeated incidents of livestock being killed in the area. The leopard had reportedly targeted animals belonging to both tea garden workers and farmers from neighbouring villages.
Forest officials said the big cat had been taking shelter amid the dense tea bushes, a habitat that often provides leopards with natural cover for resting and stalking prey.
The capture triggered excitement among local residents, with large crowds gathering at the tea estate to catch a glimpse of the animal. Forest personnel rushed to the spot, controlled the crowd and safely transported the leopard to the Lahowal forest office for a veterinary examination.
“We had lost several animals. Every morning there was fear of finding another one killed. Now at least we can breathe easy,” said a resident of the area.
Officials said that after the health check-up, the leopard will be released deep inside Dehing Patkai National Park, away from human settlements.
Wildlife experts noted that leopard sightings in and around tea estates of the Dibrugarh region are becoming increasingly common. Shrinking forest habitats and growing human activity near forest fringes are pushing wildlife closer to settlements, leading to a rise in human-animal conflict incidents.
The latest capture has brought relief to residents of Bokpara Tea Estate, who had been living under the shadow of the elusive predator for weeks.
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