An adult leopard was caged at the plantations of Mohurgong and Gulma tea estate that is on the outskirts of Siliguri, on Friday morning.

Sources said garden workers had sighted the leopard and informed foresters for the past few days. A team from the wildlife squad of Darjeeling wildlife division stationed in Sukna had placed a cage at the plantation and this morning, the leopard was found in it.

This is the second leopard caged at the tea estate in the past week. It will be later released in the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, sources said.

Elephant carcass

The carcass of an adult female elephant was recovered at the Raimatang tea estate in Kalchini block of Alipurduar on Friday.

Some workers spotted the carcass and informed the foresters. A team reached the spot and inspected the carcass. Foresters suspect that the animal died due to infighting at least 24 hours back as the carcass had started decomposing.

An earth-mover was engaged to lift the carcass. It was then taken to a nearby forest for post-mortem to ascertain the cause of its death.

Later in the afternoon, the carcass of an elephant calf aged around four years, was found in the Bokenbari area of Kalchini tea estate. Foresters have recovered it but are yet to mention why it died.