Black panther spotted at botanical garden in Ooty

Udhagamandalam: A video of a black panther straying into the Government Botanical Garden (GBG) in Ooty, in the wee hours of Wednesday, has gone viral on social media, creating panic among residents and tourists alike.
CCTV camera footage showed the black panther roaming near the garden’s entrance. Besides the garden, the entrance also leads to the Raj Bhavan, Radio Astronomy Centre, Nilgiris SP’s camp office, a few government quarters and a Toda hamlet, which are located at the upper terrain of the GBG.
Srinivas R Reddy, principal conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, Tamil Nadu, said there are only three black panthers in Coonoor and Kotagiri. While wild animals straying into the garden is not uncommon, this is the first time a black panther has strayed into the garden.
S Gowtham, district forest officer (DFO), Nilgiris division, said, “Wild animals frequently go through the GBG to reach Wenlock Downs in the town, during the night. However, I inspected the GBG on receiving information about the black panther.” He added that officials concerned are undertaking all measures to monitor the animal’s movements.