Efforts on to capture leopard lurking in IIT-B

MUMBAI: Three days after a leopard was spotted within the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) campus in Powai, officials from the Mumbai forest range said that they will trap the big cat.

Forest officials said that they had been instructed by the Nagpur forest division to track the leopard using camera-traps to monitor their movement and install a trap cage in the area.

“We have been told by the state forest department to trap the leopard at the earliest. We have already set up the camera traps and will be installing the cage by Friday within the campus,” said Santosh Kank, range forest officer, Mumbai.

The IIT-B campus, on the periphery of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, is known to be frequented by leopards during the night time. The campus is abuzz with the latest sighting of a leopard near two hostels – 7 and 9 - at the north-western edge, adjacent to the national park.

Experts said that there is no need to trap the leopard as it was a mere sighting. “Leopard sightings are common at areas near IIT-B, Powai. The animal has not harmed or posed a danger to anyone on campus. The forest officials should rethink their stance,” said Krishna Tiwari, founder, forest and wildlife conservation society.

On Tuesday, the IIT-B security office issued a notice to all campus residents, advising them to be cautious while moving in that area. They also shared a list of guidelines given by SGNP officials in order to resolve man-animal conflicts. “Since IIT Bombay is always frequented by leopards, these guidelines will be helpful in taking precautions when dealing with them, so that we can face least problems due to their presence,” read the notice.

An unconfirmed photograph of the big cat from one of the hostels has gone viral on social media portals. “Students are not really afraid as leopard sightings are frequent in the campus during the night,” said an IIT-B student.