Buzz / Drone captures leopard in field of wheat crop in UP, IFS officer shares pic

Bahraich: There's a reason why puzzles and optical illusions on social media go viral in no time.  We all love challenges that make us work our brains and test our powers of observation.

When COVID-19 lockdown brought life to a standstill in 2020, millions of netizens looked forward to such challenges as a way of staying occupied.

But sometimes, it's not an optical illusion or a puzzle that captivates social media users. A perfectly timed photo taken from a unique angle can make things very interesting. And if it features a deadly predator, it has the potential to go viral.

Back in 2019, an ordinary picture of a narrow channel dug at the side of a field went massively viral as it showed a leopard camouflaged in the mud.  The camouflage of the leopard was so perfect, netizens had a tough time spotting it even after multiple looks.

Something similar has been seen in Uttar Pradesh after a drone photographed a wild animal hiding in an agricultural field.

The photo was recently shared on Twitter by senior Indian Forest Service officer Ramesh Pandey. The overhead shot shows a leopard in the field. But the big cat is hard to spot because of its near-perfect camouflage.

Pandey wrote that the photo was captured during a drone operation that helped in the rescue operation of the animal in UP's Bahraich.

“What do you see in this image? Zoom in and get surprised. The use of drones helped in the successful rescue operation of a leopard in Bahraich, UP recently. This interesting image has been shared by Manish Singh, DFO. Indeed a well-coordinated work. @CentralIfs #leopard #rescue,” Pandey wrote on Twitter.

The perfectly-timed photo has earned praise from hundreds f social media users, who also congratulated the rescue team for using their use of technology.

A user wrote, “Effective use of technology for rescue is greatly appreciated. Kudos to the team involved in this operation. It seems to be an agricultural field with a wheat crop.

“Exception ...This is high camouflage. Stealth of leopards only” wrote another.