ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — Citizens in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad were caught off guard when a leopard made its way into the DHA II area, causing widespread fear and panic.
Residents locked themselves indoors as the animal was spotted in various locations running here and there.
Social media was buzzing with videos of a panicked leopard running around a housing society at around 4 pm. The clips depicted the feline attempting to escape the scene but inadvertently entering houses and scaling walls. In one of the videos, the leopard was seen attacking a volunteer twice, resulting in three injuries. Despite the commotion, the leopard was eventually captured. One of the videos showed a man, purportedly a private security member, shooting at the leopard while disregarding the safety of onlookers. However, the authorities concerned denied this claim.
According to Pakistan’s leading newspaper Dawn.com, “it took the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board and Capital Development Authority more than five hours to capture a leopard which possibly escaped from a safari park and found itself “trapped” in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) amid panicked residents.”
Local authorities and rescue teams swiftly intervened, but capturing the leopard proved to be a challenge as it took shelter in an under-construction house. The teams had to devise a plan to ensure the safety of both the citizens and the animal.
As the situation unfolded, onlookers captured the incident on video, which has since gone viral on social media. The lack of effective animal control measures in the area was also called into question, raising concerns about the safety of residents.
Wildlife experts were consulted to provide insight into the behavior of leopards and to recommend appropriate measures to ensure the safety of all concerned.
The incident highlighted the need for better animal control measures and the importance of understanding and respecting wildlife. The incident was a harrowing experience for the residents of the area.