Ten leopards caged in Gujarat after 8 people killed

In the past 14 days, ten leopards have been caught by the forester officers in Junagadh district in Saurashtra, following reports of conflict with humans in the region. The forest department has placed 24 cages around three talukas of Junagadh and Amreli districts, where man-leopard conflict has resulted in the deaths of eight persons.

According to the forest department, from April 1 to November 14, eight persons were killed, while several villagers have been injured by the leopards at different villages in the region, which has angered the locals.

The foresters said that the captured leopards are being examined to ascertain if they were involved in these attacks. Based on the findings, the leopards will be weeded out of the jungle.

The incidents of man-leopard clashes have been reported from Visavadar range, Jamvala, Savarkundala, among other places. There are at least a dozen incidents in which the villagers were left injured in the attacks, which occurred in houses and farmland.

Due to the rise in the attacks, the forest department had recently issued advisory to people residing in the leopard populated areas not to sleep in open, not to throw food wastage, especially non-vegetarian waste, in open.

"We have caught 10 leopards in the last 14 days from different places. We have initiated this drive to stop the incidents of these conflicts. The rising incidents may create panic among the local," said Chief Conservator of Forests, Junagadh, D T Vasavada.

The leopard population in Gujarat is said to be increasing.

In 2016, the number of wild cats was reported to be 1395 which was nearly 200 more than the previous census held in 2011. Over the years, the incidents of these protected animals prowling in the urban centres have also increased.

Last year, in November, a leopard was found inside the secretariat in state capital Gandhinagar. In another incident, a leopard was spotted inside a courtroom in Chotila in Surendranagar district.