Leopard shifts her cubs safely into Morlegad jungle

KERI: Two cubs found at Bodanwada, Saleli, at the foothills of Morlegad in Sattari on Sunday, were shifted by the mother to a safe place in the jungles of Morlegad.

One cub was shifted early Monday morning, while the second one was taken into the jungle on Tuesday.

On August 4, volunteers of the Vivekanand Environment Awareness Brigade, Keri, had informed forest officials about the two leopard cubs. Accordingly, Muhmmad Aga, range forest officer of Valpoi, had posted forest guards to patrol the area and prevent villagers from visiting the site where the cubs were lying.

Aga said, "As the cubs were newborn and unable to see, we had kept them in a shed at a stone crushing unit at Bodanwada, Saleli, away from human interference. We had expected the mother to shift them to a safe place."

Paresh Porob, range forest officer of the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, said, "The mother carefully took away the cubs one at a time as the area where the cubs were found is close to human settlement and also to the road heading towards Bodanwada."

A local, Suryakant Gaonkar from Bhuipal, said, "The natural habitat of the leopard is being disturbed in various parts of Sattari. As cattle and stray dogs are aplenty in the villages, the leopards are moving closer to human settlement."