Leopard released into Nallamala forest

HYDERABAD: The five-and-half years old leopard, which was trapped on May 11 and kept in the Nehru Zoological Park under observation for 13 days, was released into the Rajiv Gandhi Tiger Reserve Forest on Tuesday.P Srinivas, veterinary assistant surgeon at the zoo told Express that the leopard was kept under observation for a couple of weeks and found that its health had got better. The Zoo officials sent the health report of the leopard to the AP Forest Department.After going through the health report, the Forest department ordered the forest range officers to release the leopard into the Srisailam Nallamala Forest (Rajiv Gandhi Tiger Reserve Forest), K Shekar Reddy, assistant conservator of forest said. AP forest range officer B Lakshman said, "I was the one who trapped the leopard on May 11 at Gandeed mandal, Ranga Reddy district after several days of meticulous planning. I was the one who released the leopard too." He added that the leopard had created havoc by killing nearly 25 calves in the villages of Rangareddy district. The frightened villagers had informed the forest range officials who had trapped the leopard.Officials said this was the second leopard to be released into the forest. The first one was released in December 2010 after it was kept in the zoo under observation for a couple of days. Forest range officials believe there is another leopard on the prowl in the Ranga Reddy district areas and is giving sleepless nights to the residents of Shamshabad, Raidurgam and surrounding localities.