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The forest department on Saturday rescued the animal from Balli village in South Goa district by laying a trap after it was seen venturing into a human settlement. The black panther was then taken to the Bondla Zoo in North Goa to keep it under observation.
“The animal has minor injuries and is being treated. The feline will not be displayed to the public. When the animal is fit, it would be released into a deep forest in Goa,” the official said.
The forest department is also investigating what made the panther leave its habitat and enter the human settlement. “We will be studying the animal’s food intake to understand why it came into the human settlement,” the official said. Earlier, Goa Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane had in a tweet said a trapping mechanism was set up at Balli village in Quepem (South Goa) and the animal was rescued in the early hours of Saturday. Once the necessary procedures are completed, the animal will be released in a wildlife sanctuary, he had said.