17 goats and sheep killed in suspected leopard attack in Bengaluru

Seventeen goats and sheep were killed in a suspected leopard attack near Veerabhadra Nagar in Eeranna Gudde in Bengaluru South on Sunday morning. Forest officials said they were yet to find evidence of the animal’s entry into the urban area.

Police quoted residents as stating that two leopards entered a farm shed in the early hours of Sunday and attacked the livestock. Manu, the owner, lost 17 goats and sheep — including 11 lambs — in all.

The Range Forest Officer of Turahalli Forest visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Manu said he had borrowed the land and invested Rs 2.50 lakh on the sheep farm. He had gone to attend a function on Sunday and returned in the morning, only to find all the animals dead. He noticed some pugmarks and alerted the police, he told DH.

Police said they found pugmarks near the fence. It's the first time that such an incident has been reported in Girinagar area, they said.

Bangalore Urban Deputy Conservator of Forests Ravishankar said they were yet to gather evidence. "We request everyone to provide any evidence of pugmarks or video footage to confirm it's a leopard attack. It will help us to take necessary actions," he said.

The farm is located near Turahalli and Kaggalipura forests and is about 700 metres from the NICE road. Leopard movement in the area is not uncommon. Though some workers stay near the farm, they did not hear the screams of goats and sheep. added.

Wildlife Biologist Sanjay Gubbi noted that Bengaluru outskirts always had leopards. "With the loss of natural habitat and prey, there has been an increase in livestock killing. We need to ensure that farmers are supported with suitable livestock protection measures. In addition, the general public should not panic as leopards are shy animals and avoid people," he said.

Gubbi said it was "extremely important" to scientifically ascertain that the cause is truly due to leopard attack or else there will be large-scale animosity against leopards and there will be a demand for the capture and translocation of the animals.