Bangalore College (BU) has issued a warning discover to college students and workers after a number of movies of a leopard roaming across the Jnanabharati campus went viral on social media, officers stated on Friday.
The officers, nevertheless, stated the forest division discovered no proof of a leopard on the campus.
In a round issued on Thursday, the college suggested its college students, particularly hostellers and workers, to not step out at night time within the wake of studies {that a} leopard was noticed doing rounds on the campus.
The college additionally stated that any sighting of the leopard ought to be reported to the administration. A letter has been despatched to the forest division urging it to catch the leopard and take applicable motion, the round added.
“In view of studies showing within the media and social media platforms concerning the leopard sighting on the campus, all the scholars of the college, particularly these staying within the college hostels, instructing colleges and different workers, are hereby directed that they need to be cautious and keep away from transferring round within the night time,” the round learn.
“Additionally, they need to instantly inform their higher-ups as soon as they spot the motion of leopard,” the round added.
Preethi, a pupil on the college, stated, “We have now acquired directions to stroll across the campus in teams. The administration has issued a discover to all of the hostels. We’re scared, and we would like this subject to be resolved instantly.”
Nonetheless, Mahesh Babu, registrar of Bangalore College, stated pretend movies are being circulated relating to leopards on the campus to create panic. “The forest officers visited the campus and located no indicator. This has created panic among the many college students unnecessarily. Nonetheless, we’ve got issued a round asking them to be cautious and to not step out at night time.”
Wildlife activist and former member of the state board for wildlife in Karnataka, Joseph Hoover, who’s in contact with the forest division, stated there is no such thing as a motive to worry as there may be nothing to point there’s a leopard on the campus. “There aren’t any pug marks. There’s nothing for the leopards to feed on besides peacocks,” Hoover stated.
Hoover stated panic unfold after a number of pretend movies have been circulated, and one of many movies was doubtless from a forest in South America, exhibiting jaguars.
“A video has been attributed to leopards resting in deserted quarters at Bangalore College. The visible of the mating pair of jaguars is probably going from a forest visitor home or an deserted resort close to a forest panorama in South America. Although there may be nothing to worry, folks residing close to forested areas ought to be cautious,” Hoover stated.
“9 years again, a leopard was noticed at Bangalore College. Lastly, it was caught in Sumanahalli close to Magadi street. Apart from that, there’s a leopard within the Turahalli forest even now. There’s a Sulikere forest reserve, about 6.5 km from Bangalore College. There are leopards there,” Hoover stated.
In December final yr, 4 leopards have been sighted on the outskirts of town close to Turahalli and Kengeri and close to the ITC manufacturing facility close to Meenakunte on the northern outskirts. Nonetheless, the forest division has laid traps to not been capable of seize the wild animal to date.