In an unprecedented incident, a man in Karnataka made headlines when he was spotted riding a motorcycle with a 9-month-old leopard secured to the rear of his bike. A video capturing the astounding sight quickly went viral on the internet.
The man behind this act was identified as Muthu, a resident of Bagivalu village in Hassan district. According to Muthu, he had found himself face-to-face with the leopard at his farm and felt compelled to take it to the forest department for everyone’s safety.
In an attempt to protect himself and the surrounding community, Muthu resorted to tying the leopard’s limbs with a rope and securing it to the back of his motorcycle. Despite suffering minor injuries during the encounter with the cub, Muthu managed to maintain control and rode all the way to the forest department office.
Officials from the forest department later confirmed that Muthu had no malicious intentions. However, they did acknowledge that his handling of the situation was inappropriate and stemmed from a lack of awareness.
The forest department officers assessed the condition of the leopard and determined that it was weak and posed no immediate threat to anyone. Subsequently, the leopard was promptly taken for medical treatment and is currently being closely observed.
In light of the incident, Muthu has been sent for a counselling session to receive further education and awareness on how to handle similar encounters with wild animals responsibly and safely. It is hoped that this counselling will equip Muthu and others with the necessary knowledge and skills to protect themselves and wildlife in the future.
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