JORHAT, July 22 - An adult leopard that had strayed into the garage inside the compound of a villager on the Pulibor outskirts here late on Thursday night was rescued after being tranquilised on Friday by the Forest Department staff with assistance from a team from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, Borguri near the Kaziranga National Park.
A forest official told this correspondent that the big cat was noticed sleeping inside the garage belonging to Atul Bora of Gondhiya village on the western outskirts on Friday morning when he had gone to take out his car.
The official said that using his presence of mind Bora put up a bamboo fence barrier on the entrance of the garage and tied it up to prevent the wild animal from coming out and informed the Forest department.
He said the forest staff and police reached the site and kept the crowd gathered there at a distance and CWRC authorities were informed and their assistance sought.
The official said later in the day a CWRC team came and tranquilised the leopard and caged the animal and took it to the rehabilitation centre. The official said that the big cat will be released inside a forest that will be found to be suitable for the animal after conducting a routine health check-up on it.
The official said the people of the village near the CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology have confirmed the spotting of several leopards in recent times.
