A leopard entered the compound of a house near the Vinayagar Temple in Kotagiri, Nilgiris district, on Saturday morning and approached a pet dog, prompting residents to seek urgent action from the forest department.
The animal was recorded on a CCTV camera as it cautiously climbed the staircase leading to the terrace and surveyed the surroundings. According to resident M Rajendran, the leopard came down the stairs after hearing a dog bark and moved towards the source of the sound.
The dog was inside an iron cage and remained safe, preventing the leopard from reaching it. After failing to access the animal, the leopard climbed back up the staircase and escaped into a nearby tea estate, according to the report.
Residents said leopards have been entering human habitations in and around Kotagiri in recent weeks while searching for prey. They said pets and other domestic animals were increasingly at risk and urged officials to take steps to protect people living close to areas used by wildlife.
The incident highlights the safety challenge faced by homes located close to tea estates and other wildlife-linked landscapes in the Nilgiris. In this case, the leopard moved through a private residential compound, including a staircase, before retreating to the surrounding plantation area.
Residents have asked the forest department to consider trapping the leopard before it becomes a serious threat. Forest officials have assured them that they would capture the animal at the earliest. No injury to residents or the dog was reported in the incident covered by the report.
