Suspecting that the same leopard is behind four attacks that have taken place in Aarey Colony and the neighbouring Film City, the forest department has doubled its efforts to catch the big cat
The first cage was installed near the helipad area in Film City, while the second trap was set up close to the site of the latest attack
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Suspecting that the same leopard is behind the four attacks that have taken place in as many months at Aarey Colony and the neighbouring Film City, the forest department has doubled its efforts to catch the big cat by placing not one, but two cages in the area.
Normally, only one trap is used initially, but sources said that the officials are under considerable pressure to catch the animal as it has been targeting the children of locals.
Also read - Mumbai: Does Aarey Milk Colony have a rogue leopard attacking kids?
mid-day had reported earlier that forest officials began to suspect that the same animal was behind all the attacks because all the victims were kids. On July 22, Vihan Garuda (2) was killed by a leopard in broad daylight in Film City. This is the first fatal leopard attack in the last four years. The last such incident was in October 2013, when Hiya Mhase (4) was killed by a leopard in Khadakpada.
Sunil Limaye, chief conservator of forest (CCF), Thane Territorial, said, “Our volunteers have been monitoring the leopard’s activity in Aarey Milk Colony and Film City through 10 camera traps. In order to prevent any further man-animal conflict, we have received permission from the chief wildlife warden and principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) in Nagpur to trap the leopard.”
Also read - Mumbai: 2-year-old dies in leopard attack at Aarey Milk Colony
The first cage was installed on Wednesday night, near the helipad area in Film City, while the second trap was installed on Thursday night, close to the site of the latest attack in which a boy was killed.
The forest department has also increased the patrolling in the area and, on Wednesday evening, as team from Mumbaikars for SGNP conducted an awareness programme for Film City staff and security guards, to explain the Dos and Don’ts to prevent man-leopard conflict. The staff was asked to keep the locality free of garbage and to keep the stray dog population under control, reducing the lure of prey for leopards.
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