Students scared as leopard preys on wild boar on school premises in Valparai

Forest Department personnel examined the footprints and confirmed the carnivore to be a leopard. The school, where nearly 1,000 students study, is located near sprawling tea estates, which have become a perfect hideout for leopards straying out of Sirukundra forest area.

Villagers noticed a wild boar lying dead in a bush on the school premises and informed Headmaster Sivanraj and the Forest Department officials. The Valparai forest staff said the leopard had killed the wild boar and tried to feast on it by carrying the carcass to a tree top on the school premises.

“However, after some failed attempts to take the prey to the tree, the leopard left the wild boar in a nearby bush apparently to consume it later. The tree has multiple pug marks and scratches on tree barks suggesting that the leopard has struggled hard to carry its prey to the tree top,” said a Forest Department staff.

The incident has created shockwaves among the parents and students, who turned up in the school a couple of hours later to attend special class.  They fear that the leopard may return to consume its prey left on the school campus.  

“As exams are approaching, students used to attend special classes after school hours and leave only late in the evening, when it becomes dark. We are now scared,” claimed the students.

Meanwhile, a post-mortem was conducted on the body of the wild boar and disposed of in the forest area for wild animals to feed on.

Villagers claimed that a leopard has been frequenting Vazhaithottam, MGR Nagar and Valparai Nagar areas over the last few days.

They sought to capture the animal by placing a cage and shift it elsewhere before any conflict happens. Following demands, the Forest Department has mounted vigil on the school premises.