MYSURU: With back-to-back deaths in just a few months due to suspected leopard attacks in the district, the state government has come under immense fire for failing to prevent man-animal conflicts. The capture of 63 leopards in Mysuru district alone in the past three years by the forest department reveals the seriousness the forest department has given to the issue of human-leopard conflict in the district.
Though leopards for their habitat needs and food are found near human habitations both in urban and rural areas in the district crossing each others path, there had been a great hue and cry among the people to initiate action to capture leopards after the death of 22-year-old Meghana from Sosale Kebbehundi in T Narasipura taluk on December 1.
Her death happened exactly a month after 20-year-old youth C Manjunath from neighbouring M L Hundi was mauled by a leopard at Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Hills in Ukkalagere village in the taluk. The death of 60-year-old Siddamma from Kannayakanahalli village on January 20 and 11-year-old Jayanth the following day in the same taluk and the sightings of leopards in CFTRI campus atop Chamundi Hills and at sugarcane fields by villages adds fuel to the fire demanding people for immediate action.
The public outcry forced Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to jump into action, hold a series of meetings with top forest officials and set up a special task force exclusively to mitigate human-leopard conflict.
DCF (Wildlife) K N Basavaraj told The New Indian Express that as per the proposal, the Leopard Task Force will have 55 personnel including a range forest officer (RFO), four Deputy RFOs and eight forest guards. The task force will also have 36 forest watchers and six drivers who will be outsourced. There will be two forensic analysts and two veterinarians in the team.
“We have also proposed purchasing of night vision binoculars, thermal binoculars, dash cameras with GPS, infrared GSM cameras, long range searchlights and customised jeeps at the cost of `4.6 crore. There are 19 trap cages and additional 30 cages will be purchased and two cattle pen cages. We will also purchase additional tranquilising guns for the task force,” he said.
Leopards are listed in Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 in India to provide the highest level of protection.
YET ANOTHER FARMER HURT IN LEOPARD ATTACK
Mysuru: A 50-year-old labourer was grievously injured in leopard attack in KR Pet taluk in Mandya district on Monday morning. Police said Jayaram, a native of Bhadravathi in Shivamogga district and a resident of Bommanayakanahalli village in KR Pet taluk, had gone to harvest sugarcane in Ramasamudra village. When Jayaram was busy cutting sugarcane along with other labourers, a leopard which was hiding in the field pounced on him and injured him badly. He was saved by other labourers who managed to chase away the feline. Injured Jayaram was rushed to the taluk hospital and after first aid, he was shifted to KR Hospital in Mysuru. Meanwhile, villagers informed the foresters who rushed to the spot and conducted combing operations to trap the leopard.