Two shepherds riding a motorcycle in Ambegaon tehsil, India, were chased by a leopard for about 10 minutes, reports the Times of India. According to forest officials, this is the third leopard attack in the area in the past few weeks, and as recently as May of this year, a two-year-old male leopard was captured in the region after locals reported numerous attacks on livestock. At that time, locals suggested several different leopards were active in the area.

Last Thursday, sixty-five-year-old Baban Sool was riding pillion with his son, Beera, at the controls, when the leopard suddenly emerged from a sugar cane farm and bit Baban on the leg. Miraculously, Beera was able to maintain balance and both men escaped the initial attack and continued riding. The leopard gave chase, and continued the pursuit “for around 10 minutes”. Once the chase was over, the riders were taken to Ghodegaon rural hospital to be treated for their injuries.

Interviewed by the Times of India, range forest officer Ajay Shinde of Manchar forest range said that the other recent leopard attacks were similar in nature, with the leopard chasing riders on motorcycles for several minutes, and all three attacks occurred within a 2km radius.

As a precaution, the forest department has advised locals not to leave their houses in the evenings, and signs have been posted in the area warning about the presence of the leopard. Local villagers have requested that the forest department install a cage in the area to capture the animal, but the department has not yet made the decision to do so.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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