<p>Residents of Suddahalli, a village adjacent to Skandagiri hill, live in constant fear of a leopard that has been attacking their goat and sheep. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The big cat, living in the hill, killed four goats and a kid on Thursday evening. Suddahalli, Kalavara, Mailappanahalli and Muddenahalli are villages in the foothills of Skandagiri barely a couple of kilometres from Chikkaballapur City. The residents of the villages are heavily dependent on the wood from the hills for daily fuel and on the greenery to graze their cattle.<br /><br />Unexpected visit<br /><br />“We are well aware of the presence of the big cat on Skandagiri, but did not expect it to come down to the villages and attack our cattle. The last couple of months many of our cattle, including goats and sheep, have been attacked and injured,” said the residents of the villages.<br /><br />“If our cattle die, we will be deprived of a major source of income,” they expressed their fear.<br /><br />Lack of fodder<br /><br />The residents also felt the drought in the district is a prominent reason for the attack by the leopard. “The drought has resulted in shortage of fodder for cattle. There is no fodder bank in the village or the taluk. We are therefore forced to graze the cattle and goats on the hills, regardless of the knowledge and fear of the leopard. The wild animal, in turn, is attacking us for lack of food like deer and rabbits,” they explained.<br /><br />Lakshminarayana, a resident of Suddahalli, told Deccan Herald, “There are several caves and recesses between the rocks on Skandagiri hills. The leopard hides in such places and pounces on cattle, goats or sheep that graze nearby. <br /><br />“Very often the number of the cattle taken out to graze does not match with the number that return. We used to assume the animals had lost their way back home, but learnt only recently that they were killed by the leopard.”<br /><br />Two leopards<br /><br />He added that people who took the cattle out to graze had seen a big and a small leopard. “Sometimes, herdsmen have just run back home leaving the animals behind to save themselves from a leopard attack. Of late, the cats hover on the boundaries of the villages and kill cattle in the villages,” he said.<br /><br />“Our greatest fear currently is that if they get a taste of human flesh, the leopards will start hunting human beings.” He also demanded that the leopards be caught before such an incident occurs.<br /><br />Fault<br /><br />Muniyappa, a resident of Suddahalli, however, felt one could not blame the wild animals for such incidents. <br /><br />“It is natural for them to come near villages when there is shortage of food in their habitats. The district administration and the Forest Department should take measures to prevent such attacks,” he said. “Only then can village residents live in peace.”<br /><br />Python and wild boar attacks<br /><br />The most common fear of the Suddahalli residents is the leopard, but they are equally afraid of other wild animals. Wild boars, pythons, wild cats and foxes are common sights in the jungle on Skandagiri hills, and also on the boundaries of the village. “Wild boars often destroy our crops. Wild cats come near the village noiselessly and pounce on the chicken. Pythons gobble up kids that graze near and on the hills. We have to watch out for attacks from animals other than leopards,” said Muniyappa, a resident of Suddahalli.</p>
<p>Residents of Suddahalli, a village adjacent to Skandagiri hill, live in constant fear of a leopard that has been attacking their goat and sheep. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The big cat, living in the hill, killed four goats and a kid on Thursday evening. Suddahalli, Kalavara, Mailappanahalli and Muddenahalli are villages in the foothills of Skandagiri barely a couple of kilometres from Chikkaballapur City. The residents of the villages are heavily dependent on the wood from the hills for daily fuel and on the greenery to graze their cattle.<br /><br />Unexpected visit<br /><br />“We are well aware of the presence of the big cat on Skandagiri, but did not expect it to come down to the villages and attack our cattle. The last couple of months many of our cattle, including goats and sheep, have been attacked and injured,” said the residents of the villages.<br /><br />“If our cattle die, we will be deprived of a major source of income,” they expressed their fear.<br /><br />Lack of fodder<br /><br />The residents also felt the drought in the district is a prominent reason for the attack by the leopard. “The drought has resulted in shortage of fodder for cattle. There is no fodder bank in the village or the taluk. We are therefore forced to graze the cattle and goats on the hills, regardless of the knowledge and fear of the leopard. The wild animal, in turn, is attacking us for lack of food like deer and rabbits,” they explained.<br /><br />Lakshminarayana, a resident of Suddahalli, told Deccan Herald, “There are several caves and recesses between the rocks on Skandagiri hills. The leopard hides in such places and pounces on cattle, goats or sheep that graze nearby. <br /><br />“Very often the number of the cattle taken out to graze does not match with the number that return. We used to assume the animals had lost their way back home, but learnt only recently that they were killed by the leopard.”<br /><br />Two leopards<br /><br />He added that people who took the cattle out to graze had seen a big and a small leopard. “Sometimes, herdsmen have just run back home leaving the animals behind to save themselves from a leopard attack. Of late, the cats hover on the boundaries of the villages and kill cattle in the villages,” he said.<br /><br />“Our greatest fear currently is that if they get a taste of human flesh, the leopards will start hunting human beings.” He also demanded that the leopards be caught before such an incident occurs.<br /><br />Fault<br /><br />Muniyappa, a resident of Suddahalli, however, felt one could not blame the wild animals for such incidents. <br /><br />“It is natural for them to come near villages when there is shortage of food in their habitats. The district administration and the Forest Department should take measures to prevent such attacks,” he said. “Only then can village residents live in peace.”<br /><br />Python and wild boar attacks<br /><br />The most common fear of the Suddahalli residents is the leopard, but they are equally afraid of other wild animals. Wild boars, pythons, wild cats and foxes are common sights in the jungle on Skandagiri hills, and also on the boundaries of the village. “Wild boars often destroy our crops. Wild cats come near the village noiselessly and pounce on the chicken. Pythons gobble up kids that graze near and on the hills. We have to watch out for attacks from animals other than leopards,” said Muniyappa, a resident of Suddahalli.</p>
