Palakkad (Keralam) | A leopard frequently spotted near a residential area at Akathethara here was trapped in a cage set up by the Forest Department on Saturday morning, officials said.

The cage trap was set up a week ago after the animal was repeatedly spotted near houses in Sasthanagar, near Akathethara, they said.

Residents reported hearing the leopard's sounds early on Saturday, following which forest officials checked the trap and found the animal inside.

The adult leopard was shifted to the Dhoni Forest Station for examination by a forest veterinarian.

A decision on whether to release it into the forest or transfer it to a rehabilitation facility will be made after assessing its health, officials said.

The area is located on the forest fringes, where wild animals often stray into human habitations, they added.