Leopard trapped in Mathura tea garden after killing livestock, brings relief to locals

A fully grown leopard was captured on Thursday morning in the 17th section of the Mathura Tea Garden, located in Alipurduar, after multiple reports of the animal attacking livestock. Over the past few weeks, the leopard had killed several goats, dogs, and a cow, resulting in growing concern among local residents and tea garden workers. The constant threat posed by the leopard had caused significant disruption in the area, with residents fearing for their safety and workers unable to carry out their regular duties.

In response to the reports, the forest department set up a series of traps to capture the animal. On Thursday, the leopard was successfully caught in one of the cages. The forest department promptly arrived at the scene to take the animal into custody. Officials confirmed that after receiving initial medical attention, the leopard would be released into the Chilapata Forest, a common practice for wild animals once safely captured. This marks the third leopard to be trapped in the Mathura Tea Garden area, with two others having been captured previously after similar attacks on livestock.

Local residents have expressed concern that more leopards may still be present in the region. The forest department is continuing its efforts to monitor and address the issue. Meanwhile, a separate situation is unfolding in Purulia, where the forest department is trying to capture a tigress named Zeenat. Despite multiple attempts using traps and bait, the tigress remains elusive. Forest officials are actively working to capture the animal, as it is believed to be hiding in the Bandwan area of Purulia.