E-Paper
7 teams, 2 elephants for tracking elusive leopard(s)
A team of experts from Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, have been called to study the behavior of the wild cat which, either alone or with other cats has so far killed many people
A leopard has become synonymous with terror in Bijnor.
The wild cat has so far killed twelve people including children and women in the past seven months, the last killing of a 22-year-old woman Jamna Devi reported from village Bhatpura of Rehad area on Sunday.
The wildlife authorities have directed the district forest staff to identify and neutralise the animal, who they said could even be more than one.
“Seven teams have been formed to search for the leopard who could be more than one. We have placed cages at many places and used baits to attract the animals, but so far, the animal has managed to dodge our teams”, said Ramesh Chandra, conservator of forest in Moradabad division.
Chandra said that there was a possibility that wild cat (or cats), could be those who were caged in the past and released in the jungle of Amangarh and hence familiar with the cages and prey placed to lure them.
Forest department caged 4 to 5 leopards in the past months and released them in Amangarh forest area. These animals might have returned close to human population and were attacking them. They were aware of tricks of caging them therefore avoiding going close to cages and prey placed at different locations, Chandra said.
“Such intelligent behaviour of animals could be challenged only by doing a proper study of their behaviour. Therefore, we have also invited a team of experts from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, to study the behavior of leopards involved in killing of people,” he said.
He said waterlogging in low lying areas and sugarcane fields after heavy rains could be the possible reason these animals have come to highlands which were generally close to human population.
Meanwhile, two elephants with their mahout from Dudhwa National Park were being used to carry out search operation. These elephants searched an area of 13 km on Sunday and continued their search operation on Monday.
“We have asked them for two more elephants to intensify the search operation”, said Chandra.
“The search operation is underway in two areas namely Machhmar, Siriyawali, Mohsanpur and 9 villages under Rehar police station limits and Telipura, Jalalpur and 3 villages under kotwali dehat police station limits,” Chandra said.
“Two veterinary officers, two elephants from Dudhwa, WII team, five forest officers, range officers and around 70 staff have been deployed for conducting search operations. Thirteen trap cages, 15 infra-red cameras and 10 flush cameras have been installed at possible movement locations of the leopard. Round the clock patrolling is on and entire operation is being monitored by senior officials,” he said.
The forest department has declared 22 villages as sensitive zones because of the movements of leopards. “We have been sensitising villagers about dos and don’ts in order to minimize the risk of attack on them”, said sub divisional officer (SDO) of forest department Gyan Singh.
People have been asked not to go alone in their fields or in the night and walk with a stick, he said.
The villagers said that leopard killed three people in the past 12 days. They also ambushed goats, dogs and cows after entering into villages and their attacks on people going on motorcycles have also been reported from different areas.
Bhartiya Kisan Union also have raised the issue and its divisional president in Moradabad Baburam Tomar expressed his concern on killings of twelve farmers and their family members. They staged a protest at the office of divisional commissioner of Moradabad on Monday and demanded to identify and neutralize the animal and ex gratia for bereaved families whose members were killed.
Box
Deaths due to leopard attack in past 7 months
17 Feb- Aditi in village Kiratpur of Nageena
4 Mar- Purvi in village Ballasherpur of Nahtaur
18 Mar- Mithilesh in village Kajiwala of Nageena
19 April- Tungal Saini in village Shreewaschand of Afzalgarh
23 April- Arshi in village Udaipur Chandpur of Rehad
25 April- Khushi in village Moosapur of Rehad
26 April- Rahul of Rehad area
21 June- Kamlesh Devi in village Mohammadpur Rajpuri of Afzargarh
22 June- 10-year-old child in village Machmaar of Rehad
17 July- Guddi in village Makhwada of Kotwali Dehat
27 July- Sandeep in village Telipura of Nageena
30 July- Jamna Devi in village Bhatpura of Rehad
