Unleashed leopard creates scare in Islamabad

WeirdNews

Rina Saeed Khan said it was illegal to keep common leopards as pets.

17 February,2023 03:33 pm

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) captured a leopard after more than five hours, which reportedly escaped from a safari park and went loose in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) amid panicked residents.

The IWMB had to use a tranquiliser to sedate the animal after several failed attempts to capture the animal. According to Rina Saeed Khan, who heads the wildlife board, the leopard would be kept at a rescue centre which was previously being used as the Islamabad zoo.

— Rina S Khan Satti (@rinasaeed) February 16, 2023

The DHA security called the Islamabad Wildlife Management Department to report that a leopard had bit a security guard. By the time the IWMB team reached the housing scheme, Rescue 1122 was already on the ground but left unsuccessful to cordon off the area, said Rina Saeed Khan.

The videos of the leopard stormed on social media showing the animal running around in the housing society. The clips showed the leopard, also panicked, trying to flee the scene, but it ended up running into houses and climbing walls. The leopard could also be seen attacking an IWMB volunteer twice. Three people got hurt, including two staff members of IWMB, during the process of capturing.

Rina claimed a lot of TikTokers had gathered around the leopard, dangerously close to the feline despite warnings from the staff of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to stay indoors. “The leopard attacked because it felt cornered,” Ms Khan said. She said it was illegal to keep common leopards as pets and action would be taken if it was established that it had an owner. The Islamabad Police, following the incident, opened a criminal investigation against an unknown person for “domesticating” a leopard.