Leopard rescued at Talekhol

Times of India , Saturday, January 10, 2009
Correspondent : Rajendra P Kerkar, TNN
BICHOLIM: A leopard who fell into an unused well in Talekhol, a village four kilometers from Goa's Sattari border, was rescued by the forest department of Maharashtra and members of Bicholim's Animal Rescue Squad led by its chief Amrutsingh on Friday.

The leopard (Panthera Pardus) had fallen into the well at Vanyachiwadi, Talekhol close to midnight on Thursday when it was pouncing on a stray dog, officials determined.

In the morning, Sumati Bala Dalvi, a local resident, saw the leopard inside the well and immediately alerted villagers.

When Tanaji Patil, Range Forest Officer, Dodamarg got wind of the leopard, he rushed to the spot with his personnel and together with Amrutsingh-a veteran at rescuing leopards in and around Bicholim-strategized a rescue operation.

"The leopard was hungry, thirsty and tired. When we placed a cage in the well, it had no other choice but to enter it," explained Amrutsingh. The rescued leopard was later released in the wild.

The Dodamarg region that includes the Talekhol village and borders Goa's Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, is a bio-diversity hotspot. Pandurang Narayan Sawant, police patil, Talekhol, said, "There are two more leopards and a tiger (Panthera Tigris) roaming in the jungles of Talekhol."

"The conflict between man and leopard has been increasing on account of deforestation, poaching and environmental degradation. However, this is the first case of a leopard falling in a well in the area," said Tanaji Patil.

 
SOURCE : Saturday, January 10, 2009
 


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