A Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus crew along the Kengeri-Chikkegowdanapalya route on Wednesday, April 3, sighted two leopards, one of which was an eight-month-old cub, in the vicinity of Turahalli Forest, near Kanakapura Road in the city.
As per a statement issued by the BMTC, a bus plying on route number 224 from Kengeri bus stand to Chikkegowdanapalya, encountered a leopard near Turahalli forest. A mother leopard and her cub approached the bus and took shelter underneath it. While the Forest Department officials successfully captured the cub, the mother leopard managed to escape. Efforts are currently underway by the Forest Department to locate and capture the mother leopard, BMTC added in the release.
N. Ravindra Kumar Deputy Conservator of Forest (Bengaluru Urban) said that Forest Department officials rescued the leopard cub from underneath the BMTC bus. He clarified that it was not hit by the bus but was resting underneath the vehicle. “Forest Department officials captured the leopard, and it was handed over to People of Animal (PFA) personnel. The cub was dehydrated and it was administered treatment. It is recouping and doing fine now,” Mr Kumar said.
He added that once the cub has completely recovered, it will be released into the forest area. He also said that the mother of the cub has not been spotted by the forest officials
In the past too, leopards have been spotted in the area. In 2022, one was seen moving around the vicinity of Banashankari 6th Stage for a few days by local residents. The big cat had also killed a spotted deer whose carcass was found in the Turahalli State Forest Area.
