Mysore/Mysuru: Two female leopards have been trapped in a huge cage placed by the Forest Department at Musuvinakoppal village in T. Narasipur taluk this morning. 

Musuvinakoppal village is one of the villages in T. Narasipur taluk, which was declared as a red zone, following deaths of four persons in the leopard attacks in the recent past. The Forest Department had got a huge cage from Tumkur and had placed the cage in the farm belonging to one Chandrappa in the village and had left it there.

Following complaints of leopards attacking livestock, the villagers had lodged a complaint with the Forest Department following which the Forest staff had tied a calf as live bait inside the cage to lure the leopards.

The leopards, which entered the huge cage in the early hours of today, got themselves trapped inside the cage.

The shocked leopards were sitting close to the calf without harming it and the scared calf was seen trying to push the leopards away with its head, the video of which is being circulated on social media.

As the news of two leopards getting trapped at once spread, the villagers thronged the spot in large numbers to have a glimpse of the big wild cats.

The Forest officials also reached the spot and are preparing to shift the leopards after tranquillising them, when we went to the press. It is learnt that the two leopards would be released into their habitat later.