BENGALURU: In the wake of increasing man-leopard encounters in the city outskirts, the Karnataka Forest Department has cautioned farmers and locals to be cautious. They pointed out that since it is a crop harvest season, extra precaution will have to be taken till January 15. They said this is a helpless situation as many encounters happen during this time.
The department released the caution notice after a four-year-old leopard was captured by forest staffers on Monday at Bandemutt, in Ramanagara range. After a thorough medical examination, the leopard was released in a conducive habitat on Tuesday on the directions of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife).
According to the forest department, three incidents of leopards coming in close contact with the human habitation have been reported at three different locations of Ramanagara and Magadi forest divisions, in the last one week. “This has raised an alarm. It is the harvest season and the standing crops are a safe habitat for young females to give birth. Similarly, many wild boars and pigs also give birth in the same fields, which become good food for the leopards,” said Chief Conservator of Forests, R Gokul.
It is observed that such incidents are reported mostly between 5-6:30 am, when people go out for crop cutting or to attend nature’s call.
Another forest official blamed the government for the increasing menace. He said: “The abrupt road works, blasting of rocks and shrinking green spaces (including fields) have exposed the safe habitats of leopards, leaving them no alternative, but to come to agricultural fields. The C&D land, which acted as a buffer zone between forest and human habitation, is also getting lost to development. A leopard needs around 50 sqkm as its territory; but in some places, the forest patch is smaller than the required space.”
Leopard and sloth bears are found in Bengaluru, especially towards Kanakapura, Ramanagara, Magadi and Chennapatana, because the rocky terrains are their ideal locations. However, it is in these areas which are now the hub of unplanned development, leading to more cases of conflict, the official said.
Ramanagara forest division, comprising of five ranges that shares a part of its boundary with Bannerghatta National Park and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. Thus the population of leopards is also increasing, which is leading to more conflict, said S N Hegde, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Ramanagara.