Tourists at a scenic resort in Valathoor, near Vaduvanchal in Meppadi, Wayanad, had a wild surprise around noon on Friday when a guest spotted a leopard gazing straight at him through the window. Keeping his calm, the visitor quickly snapped a photo and alerted the resort staff.
Initially, the staff brushed it off as a misunderstanding or perhaps an overactive imagination. But the grainy image soon became undeniable proof—and things took a dramatic turn when CCTV footage revealed not just one, but two leopards prowling the premises.
The startling encounter went viral on social media, sparking both fear and humor. One user quipped, “Book them a honeymoon suite—why should the jungle have all the fun?”
Forest officials from the South Wayanad Division inspected the resort and confirmed the presence of leopards using pug marks found on-site. An officer said while big cats often wander into these parts at night, a daytime appearance is highly unusual.
Wayanad Tourism Organisation member CP Sailesh reminded the public that the region, surrounded by forests and plantations, has long coexisted with wildlife. “Such sightings weren’t reported earlier simply because CCTV surveillance wasn’t common,” he noted.
Locals in Meppadi’s plantation belt remain on edge, as leopard sightings and livestock attacks have grown more frequent in recent months—another stark reminder of the fragile boundary between wilderness and human habitation.