Leopard captured in Sikkim’s Soreng amid rising man-animal conflict

An adult male leopard was captured from a residential area in Sikkim's Soreng district on June 17, according to forest officials. The capture comes amid rising concerns of man-animal conflict in the area, which has recently seen an increase in such incidents.

Acting on the complaints by residents of Nesurgaon locality about the sighting of a wild leopard, a team of forest and environment department laid a trap two days ago and captured the wild cat, an official said.

The leopard was found in good health during preliminary examination and it has been safely translocated to a safe habitat away from human settlements, the official said.

The male leopard had killed several cattle recently as a result of which the local people felt threatened too.

Soreng district has witnessed a gradual rise in incidents of man-animal conflict in recent years.

A total of six male leopards have been captured from human habitation by the officials of the Soreng Wildlife Range over the past two years from the district.