Hyderabad news: A 'leopard' like animal was spotted near Miyapur Metro Rail station in Hyderabad on Friday creating panic in the region. After analysing the pugmarks, authorities concluded that the animal in question was much smaller than a leopard.
A short video of the animal walking on a sandy patch near some bushes circulated on social media, leading to speculation. However, forest officials explained that the zoomed-in footage made the animal appear larger, giving the impression that it was a leopard.
Vijayanand Rao, Divisional Forest Officer of Shamshabad, reassured the public, stating, as per IANS, "The pugmarks are only 3.5 to 4 centimeters in size, whereas a leopard’s pugmarks are at least seven centimeters." He also emphasised that there was no reason to panic and that it is highly unlikely a leopard would be found in the area.
Later, forest officials clarified that the animal was a jungle cat, not a leopard, as initially feared.
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The animal, believed to have come from the nearby green belt, likely returned to the forest after the brief sighting. To ensure public safety, two teams of forest officials, along with the police, launched a search operation late Friday following reports of a possible leopard sighting near the Metro Station in the Miyapur area of Kukatpally. Residents in the surrounding areas were alerted as a precaution.
In April this year, a leopard was spotted near Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Shamshabad, on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Following its movement being captured on CCTV cameras around the airport area, the Forest Department launched an operation to capture the animal. Forest officials deployed trap cameras and set up cages as part of the effort. Later, the leopard was trapped.