The leopard, which was caged by Forest officials in the campus of the Civil Hospital at Bokakhat town in Golaghat district on March 14, was released successfully in the Panbari Reserved Forest near Kaziranga National Park on Thursday morning.
The leopard, which came out from the forest near a tea garden in search of food, was caged by a team of Forest officials and veterinarians of the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) at Panbari near Kaziranga National Park in the campus of the Civil Hospital in Golaghat town on March 14. The leopard was captured after being tranquilized successfully following a three-hour-long operation by the rescue team.
After check-up under observation at the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation, Panbari for 24 hours, the big cat was released in Panbari Reserved Forest on Thursday morning.
The leopard which strayed into Bokakhat town triggered panic among the people on Wednesday morning.
Locals spotted the big cat early on Wednesday morning at the Natya Mandir premises opposite the daily market in the heart of the town.
The feline later took shelter at a poultry shed near the Natya Mandir.
After getting information by the locals, police and forest officials arrived at the scene and took control of the situation.
Later forest officials from Kaziranga and veterinarians from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation started the rescue operation by tranquilizing the leopard.
The team of doctors consisting of Dr Samsul Ali and Dr Panjit Basumatary from Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation and Dr Debabrata Phukan from Kaziranga National Park administered tranquilizer and managed to capture the leopard with causing any injury.