BANGALORE: A massive hunt is on to capture Sapna, a five year old lioness, who escaped from the Bannerghatta National Park in Kamataka,
The lioness, brought from the Junagadh zoo in western Gujarat state early this month along with two others, was kept in an enclosure for a few days.
When the animals were released into a fenced area on Jan 11, Sapna unsuccessfully tried to jump 3.5 meter high wall thrice before it finally managing to cross over the fourth time, leaving forest officials in jitters.
The officials swung into action and shot tranquilizer into the truant animal but could not catch her as she escaped in the thick jungle.
State chief wild life warden said here that over 100 forest officials and others equipped with tranquilizer guns had been pressed into service to comb the area where the lioness had escaped.
Despite a thorough search by forest officials, the lioness could not be traced, the warden said.
However some people of a nearby village have reported sighting a lioness creating havoc. The animal ‘was seen trying to attack cattle but was forced to retreat into the forest by the villagers.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 26, 1990
