A full-grown leopard spotted on a farm in Soladevanahalli, in Nelamangala taluk on the outskirts of northwest Bengaluru, has prompted the forest department to install trap cages and intensify patrols in the area. Officials have also advised residents to take precautions around farms and orchards after the animal was seen on CCTV moving through a property and drinking water.
The leopard was recorded at a farm belonging to resident Basavaraju on Monday. The footage showed the animal prowling around the property before it disappeared into the surrounding area, according to the forest department officials quoted by the Times of India.
Officials said specialised trap cages fitted with live bait would be placed at strategic locations near Soladevanahalli and neighbouring orchards. The stated objective is to capture the leopard safely while monitoring its movement and reducing the possibility of encounters with people working or living in the area.
Range forest officer teams have increased patrolling in vulnerable locations around the farm belt. The patrols are intended to track signs of the leopard’s presence and monitor areas where residents, livestock and the animal could come into contact.
The sighting has particular relevance for Bengaluru’s expanding northwestern edge, where farms and orchards sit close to settled areas. The report, however, does not establish how long the leopard has been moving in the area, whether it has attacked livestock or people, or whether officials have confirmed a den or regular movement route.
Forest officials have asked residents to secure their livestock and avoid walking alone near unlit farm areas during dusk and dawn. They have also advised people to report sightings immediately to the forest department’s control room rather than approaching the animal or attempting to track it themselves.
The department’s immediate response is focused on surveillance, patrols and the safe capture of the leopard through baited cages. Further action will depend on the animal’s movement and the forest department’s monitoring of Soladevanahalli and the surrounding orchards.
