GUWAHATI: A wave of panic gripped the residents of Guwahati as news spread about the discovery of leopard footprints within the premises of the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden.
Speaking to G Plus, a resident in Zoo Road said, "We were warned not to roam around at night by the forest officials because they found footprints in the forest area though this area is protected by a boundary wall."
Suspecting that a wild leopard might have infiltrated the zoo premises, the authorities immediately took action to ensure the safety of both visitors and animals.
While patrolling, forest officials found the footprints four days ago, indicating the presence of a leopard.
This raised concerns that the animal could still be present within the vicinity, posing a potential threat to the city's residents.
Speaking to G Plus, Ashwini Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Assam State Zoo stated, "We have only warned the people in the colony (especially the children) that they should not venture out at night towards the upper side of the hill area which falls under the reserve forest."
"Since we found footprints four days ago while patrolling, we issued a warning as a precautionary measure", the Zoo DFO said.
"There's no evidence of spotting the leopard as of now. There's nothing to worry about as we are doing our part of the job", Kumar added.
"There are around 40 families in the vicinity," the DFO confirmed.
The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden, a popular attraction for tourists and residents alike, houses a variety of indigenous and exotic animals.