A female leopard was captured and handed over to the Nagaland Zoological Park (NZP) authorities in Dimapur on July 11.

The leopard was captured by a group of Longpong ward in Tuli town of Nagaland in Mokokchung district.

The Longpong Ward Committee, after capturing the leopard, decided to hand it over to the Wildlife Department of Nagaland.

In a statement to the media, NZP director Dr Prabhat Kumar said, "The rescue operation was successfully conducted under the direction and close supervision of the Chief Wildlife Warden M Mhonbemo Ngullie."

"The feline was handed over to the zoo authority for rehabilitation," Kumar added.

"There were reports that the leopard had entered the human habitat and killed several animals and also bringing down a threat to human life," Kumar further said.

"The leopard was trapped by the local villagers in a locally made animal trap and it was later handed over to the forest officials," he further said.

Meanwhile, the NZP has thanked the villagers for capturing the animal alive and not causing any harm to it.

The NZP director also appreciated the efforts of Mokokchung DFO, the district administration and police department in Mokokchung and Dimapur districts, as well as the Forest and Police department from Assam for their efforts in the rescue operation.

"The rescued leopard is now safely kept in the protected cell of the zoo," the NZP director further said.

Leopard sightings in Nagaland have become quite common as more and more forest areas are being cleared for human settlements.

Experts are of the opinion that if rampant destruction of forests is not checked then the human-animal conflict in the future will only increase.