Fear has returned to parts of Bengaluru after a lone leopard was observed again in the Banashankari 5th Stage area, which has residents in and around the area anxious. The animal was seen in the early hours of September 10 near a residential property and moved through the area with a camera in place.
The latest sighting has particularly worried residents because the leopard appeared in the same wider area where it had reportedly been sighted earlier. Banashankari 5th Stage families, especially those with young children, are now scared to venture out during the early morning and late-night hours.
Leopard Spotted Around 4 AM
According to the information available, the leopard was seen at 4 am on September 10 near the house of a resident identified as Keshav in the second block of Banashankari 5th Stage.
CCTV footage also shows the solitary leopard walking near the house. The animal also seemed to be moving towards dogs that were in the area, apparently trying to approach or attack them.
But the situation changed when the dogs started barking loudly. Just the noise of it is believed to have startled the leopard and it moved away from the spot.
The leopard was observed more clearly after a worker found what looked like leopard paw marks near the front of the house in the morning, the report said. The house owner was informed about the footprints and the CCTV footage was reviewed. The recordings were said to confirm the movement of the animal in the neighborhood.
Second Leopard Sighting in the Same Area
This is the first time in recent years that residents of the area have been scared off so much that they have gone to the emergency room.
On July 25, a leopard was seen around 7 pm in the same second block of Banashankari 5th Stage. Forest department officials arrived at the site and used firecrackers to drive the animal away to the forest.
Residents had hoped that the earlier incident was an isolated one. But the latest sighting has once again brought the issue of leopard movement in Bengaluru's expanding residential areas into focus.
A leopard has been seen in many places, and people are scared. Children have to be looked out for, and parents who are typically on the move early in the morning and tend to return home at night are being advised to be cautious.
Residents Are Seeking Immediate Forest Department Action
The forest department should act immediately to track the leopard and prevent it from entering residential areas again, according to residents.
Residents want more than just a routine inspection and have asked for procedures to locate the animal and, if required, to take it safely and in a way that suits them. The main focus, they say, needs to be keeping people living in the surrounding areas safe and the leopard safe.
Today’s incident also highlights the increasing human-wildlife interactions on the outskirts and growing residential areas in Bengaluru. As the city expands, many areas that were once closer to open land, vegetation, and forested areas are getting more and more populated.
CCTV Footage Raises Fresh Concern
The CCTV footage of the leopard near a residence has added to the concern among residents. In the early morning, it has made people feel a bit more cautious that the animal was moving close to houses.
Residents are to remain alert, especially at dawn and after dark. If a leopard is there, they should not approach or chase it and should instead call the forest department or police department immediately.
The latest sighting has once again raised questions about the movement of leopards around Bengaluru's residential outskirts. The exact origin and movement pattern of the animal remain to be established, but residents are hoping that authorities will take prompt action before another sighting leads to a more dangerous encounter.
In the meantime, Banashankari 5th Stage is still on high alert for residents, as the lone leopard was also seen on CCTV for the second time recently.
