IAF authorities want leopard relocated

NEWDELHI: With pressure mounting from the Air Force authorities to relocate the leopard that was spotted near the Kendriya Vidyalaya School in the Narela Air Force base earlier this week, forest officials have set up a cage with bait to capture the animal.

“A cage has been set up with a goat tied inside. We might have to relocate the animal. A meeting with the Air Force authorities would be held on Friday,” said Tarun Johri conservator of forests of the state forest department.

Wildlife experts have already raised objections against relocating the animal saying that the leopard might have been staying here for long.

“It would be unwise to relocate the leopard as it could be living there for long and might have been spotted by people only recently. That doesn’t mean you can capture and relocate it,” said Vidya Athreya, an ecologist working on man-leopard conflict.

A senior official of the state forest department said that a meeting between forest officials and Air Force station authorities to decide whether to relocate the leopard was scheduled on Thursday. It, however, had to be cancelled and would be held on Friday. “Air Force station authorities have conveyed that they are in no mood to allow the leopard to stay in the campus. A final decision would be taken after the meeting,” said an official.