Srinagar, Apr 18 (KNO): The wildlife department has concluded its search operation aimed at capturing a leopard, following its sighting reports in the outskirts of Srinagar's Malabagh area.
According to a senior wildlife official speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), after several days of extensive search efforts in Malabagh and surrounding areas, the operation has been called off as no additional evidence of leopard presence was discovered.
“A large-scale search was conducted in Malabagh, Elahibagh, Rangpora, and Zakura areas. This effort involved drone surveillance and patrols by wildlife teams. However, no further signs of the leopard sightings were found, leading to an end of the search operation,” the official stated.
The official however, stated that the presence of the leopard initially seemed to be correct based on various social media photographs & videos, which later on after due verification, search operations & allied cross checks proved to be wrong.
He stressed the importance of remaining cautious, particularly during morning and evening hours, stating that any of the wild animals can venture into human habitats in search of food.
It is pertinent to mention that the presence of the leopard was initially confirmed by the J&K wildlife department on April 15, 2024 on the basis of video evidence and numerous reports on social media.
Subsequently, a large-scale search operation was launched to locate the wild animal.
To aid in the capture effort, the wildlife department deployed various measures, including traps placed at multiple locations, such as cages and camera traps, along with ground teams conducting physical surveys of the area.
Despite these efforts, the leopard was not sighted again, prompting the conclusion of the search operation. In a message, the senior wildlife official urged residents to remain cautious and report any further sightings or incidents involving wild animals to the appropriate authorities for prompt action—(KNO)