PONDA: Locals and forest officials heaved a sigh of relief as the female leopard which was stranded up a 30-metre tall coconut tree for nearly 24 hours finally came down on its own.
Forest Department officials stated that the leopard cub had probably come to quench its thirst from a nearby pond had climbed the coconut tree after being chased by a pack of stray dogs on May 13, at Savoi Verem.
The Forest Department officials were in a Catch 22 situation as using a tranquiliser dart to sedate the cat was fraught with risks given the height at which it was stranded.
The officials finally decided to leave the frightened animal alone hoping that the nocturnal cat would come down on its own in the night. The streetslights in the area were turned off and the dogs chased away while a team of rangers camped at a distance patiently waiting for the cat to come down.
As the night began to fall, it stealthily crawled down at around 2.30 am and then disappeared into the forest in the stillness of the night.
