Leopard sightings in Bengaluru’s Nelamangala taluk have increased concerns among village residents after a month-old cub was rescued from farmland and CCTV recorded an adult leopard moving near homes and attacking domestic animals.
The two incidents were reported on Tuesday in separate locations on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Villagers found the male cub near a clump of bushes in a field at Mallarabanavadi. The animal was whimpering and appeared to have been separated from its mother, according to the report.
Residents secured the cub and alerted the forest department. A team led by Nelamangala range forest officer Manjunath shifted it to the Bannerghatta Rehabilitation Centre for treatment. The cub is believed to be about a month old.
In Soladevanahalli, CCTV footage captured a full-grown leopard moving close to residential properties and hunting domestic animals during daylight hours. Residents said leopards had been straying into settlement areas regularly and had targeted pet dogs and livestock.
The incidents have intensified concern in villages located between agricultural land and wooded areas around Nelamangala. Forest officials attributed the increased sightings to the leopard population in nearby wooded patches and farmland. According to the officials, the animals may be moving closer to human settlements in search of easily available prey.
The sightings illustrate the immediate safety challenge faced by communities at Bengaluru’s urban edge, where residential areas, farms and remaining wooded land exist alongside one another. For residents, the conflict is not limited to occasional wildlife sightings: attacks on pets and livestock can affect household safety and livelihoods, while the presence of a leopard near homes raises the risk of direct encounters.
Villagers have petitioned forest department officials to deploy baited cages and capture the leopards. The request follows the CCTV evidence from Soladevanahalli and the reports of attacks on domestic animals. The forest department’s response, including any decision on cage deployment or capture operations, will determine the next steps for the affected settlements.
The rescued cub has been moved to Bannerghatta for further treatment. Forest officials have not indicated in the supplied report whether the cub’s mother has been located or whether additional leopards will be captured.
