PrashantNews
After a long gap, a Leopard is again seen roaming in the premises of the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun with the management deciding to close the entry of visitors for five days beginning from Wednesday for safety reasons, an official statement said on Tuesday.
FRI said it wants to avoid any untoward incident due to the movement of the leopard inside the campus during the day and night time. Keeping in mind security reasons, as per the instructions of the competent authority, the FRI campus will remain closed for all visitors from October 2 to October 6, the statement said.
The activities of the leopard have increased in the campus especially around the main building. The FRI said the leopard has hunted animals like dogs and deer in the campus.
Since September 15, the leopard is seen in the FRI campus continuously in the morning.
The national heritage site FRI is one of the oldest institutions in the country which was established during the British period for the forest research. Its building is a unique example of Greco-Roman architecture, which is a big attraction for tourists. There are various museums related to botany and forestry which attract not only researchers but also nature lovers and tourists alike.
In December 2022 also, the FRI was closed for visitors after a leopardess was seen with its cubs in the campus. Last year also, there were rumors that the leopard was prowling around the FRI. In 2015, a girl was killed by a leopard inside the campus.