Jalpaiguri: Villagers rescued a sick leopard cub from a railway track on Sunday morning in the Ruber railway bridge area of Good Hope Tea Garden under Malbazar block, averting a possible tragedy. Locals noticed the weak cub standing on the track and promptly moved it to safety.
Forest personnel from the Mal squad and Targhera Range reached the spot and rescued the cub. Forest officials said the cub is undergoing treatment and will be released into the forest after recovery. Amid rising incidents of leopard attacks in the Dooars, the Gorumara Wildlife Division has constituted a medical board to study behavioural changes in leopards captured from tea gardens and forest areas of Banarhat and Nagrakata.
Zoologists and veterinarians will monitor whether leopards kept in cages show abnormal behaviour, especially in areas where children have been attacked. A preliminary forest department study has revealed that dense bushes and forest-like conditions in large tea garden areas of Banarhat and Nagrakata have turned them into leopard habitats. Unlike earlier trends, leopard attacks are now being reported even during summer months, often targeting children who are alone during morning or evening hours.
Tea gardens such as Moraghat, Diana, Mughalkata, Binnaguri, Totapara, Red Bank, Surendranagar and Dharanipur have extensive thickets, making them ideal habitats for leopards and elephants. DFO of Gorumara Wildlife Division, Dwijapratim Sen, said, “Unchecked vegetation in tea gardens is forcing leopards to camp near human settlements. As a preventive measure, nylon fencing covering a two-kilometre stretch has been installed on a pilot basis at Kalabari Tea Garden, a known leopard hotspot. The fencing has shown positive results so far.” In the last month, seven leopards have been caged in Banarhat, Nagrakata and Meteli. Some will be kept under observation for up to two months to assess behavioural changes before further action.
Jalpaiguri Forest Division DFO Vikas V said the humid environment and dense bushes in tea gardens provide ideal cover for leopards. “Negligent cattle rearing, abandoned livestock, and overgrown vegetation near houses are increasing human-animal conflict. Leopards are now being spotted attacking between dusk and 7 pm,” he said, urging guardians not to leave children unattended after sunset.
Meanwhile, the Kurseong Forest Division has released rare camera-trap images of two melanistic leopards captured together in the dense hill forests of Kurseong. Divisional Forest Officer Debesh Pandey said the sighting was unusual, as earlier records mostly showed solitary animals. He added that the presence of two melanistic leopards together could indicate a possible increase in their population in the region.