Students at an Indian university got an unusual reprieve from upcoming exams when a large leopard was spotted roaming about the campus.
As if worrying about examinations wasn't stressful enough! Students at Telangana University, located in the south-central Indian city of Nizamabad, had their examinations postponed when a leopard was spotted er, sighted wandering around the campus. The campus in Dichpally opened in 2006 and roughly 1,250 students are currently enrolled there.
Leopards are not uncommon in Telangana state where a growing human population gingerly coexists with a number of wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, and the Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve – the largest such dedicated tiger reserve in all of India. Though human-leopard interactions are increasing, Indians generally hold wildlife in great respect and make efforts to accommodate the native felines.
The leopard in question likely entered the university campus from a neighboring forested area. “We heard the roar during the morning walk,” stated Swami, an MA student at the school, “and saw the animal close to us.” Other students reported the leopard in the vicinity of the MCA (Master of Computer Applications) building and alerted the authorities though by that time the big cat had vanished.
After some local farmers reported hearing a leopard's roar, the Indian Forest Service was brought in to track down the leopard and, ideally, re-locate it to a wilderness area. In the meantime, security cameras have been installed to record the leopard's movements should it return. As for the students, they'll have more time to study for their exams thanks to the spotted “scaredy-cat.” (via Sakshi Post, The Hans India, and New Indian Express)
