INDORE: A male leopard, that had terrorized residents of Ghatia Khurd in Shajapur district , was caught by forest department teams and released in jungles of Dewas district on Wednesday.The leopard, around three-and-half years old, had been killing cattle and dogs in the village spreading panic among the residents for last few days, chief conservator of forests BS Annigeri told TOI.The forest team had laid down the trap on Tuesday evening. The leopard fell into it at around 5am, he said adding the wild cat was released in Khivani sanctuary in the evening.Forest team had been trying to track the location of the leopard for the last few days. Harish Patel , a rescue team member, claimed that the leopard was in the vicinity, when the trap was laid in foliage next to an agriculture field, on the banks of Kalisindh river . "We could see its eyes gleaming in the night," he said.In the morning, when he reached the cage, the leopard was furious. They covered the cage with sacks and shifted the wild cat to Khivani sanctuary in rescue vehicles.Veterinary doctors examined the wild cat and found that it was in perfect health.Patel claimed that presence of leopard in the fringe areas of villages adjoining forests is often reported."This is the mating season. The leopards which lose a fight with stronger wild cat, are shunted out of the area," he said adding these wild cats land up in forests near the villages where food is abundant. Apart from the black bucks in the forests, tamed cattle and dogs make easy prey.

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