-- Samir Umarye BICHOLIM FEB 18: After about two months the forest department was today able to catch a male leopard at Kudchirem Bicholim.
It may be recalled that leopards had created havoc in Bicholim since last several months. Several people from Bicholim had spotted the leopard and it had also tried to attack some in Bicholim. Earlier, the Animal Rescue Squad from Bicholim had caught a leopard but it escaped after breaking himself free. Today at night the leopard was caught at Kudchirem in the cage placed by the forest department some two months back. On receiving the information the Range forest officer, Pradeep Verekar rushed to the spot. The incident was kept secret and the wild cat was taken to the Bondla wild life sanctuary. Speaking to Herald the Animal Rescue Squad chief, Amrut Singh told that there is a possiblaity of more leopards still in Bicholim and still the forest department has placed two cages at Lamgao and Kudchirem. "Today the leopard that is caught is not the one that escaped earlier by breaking the cage" Amrut Singh explained adding "a female leopard and cubs would still be there in the area."