Leopard sighted again in Mandawar village near the Aravallis

Residents of Mandawar village in Sohna have reported spotting a leopard in the area on late Tuesday night. They claim to have stayed awake the whole night and remained in groups for their safety.

Residents of Mandawar village in Sohna have reported spotting a leopard in the area on late Tuesday night. They claim to have stayed awake the whole night and remained in groups for their safety.

Villagers beat a leopard that entered Mandawar village on November 24, 2016. (Parveen Kumar/HT File)

Presence of wildlife in the area has led to man-animal conflict in the past. On November 24, a two-and-a-half-year-old leopard was beaten to death by Mandawar villagers after it had strayed into the village’s residential area.

On Wednesday, villagers informed the wildlife department about the latest sighting, after which the department investigated the situation.

“We found pugmarks of a leopard in the area. The village is very close to the Aravalli forest area, and as a result, the presence of wildlife is very common. This is a natural zone for the leopard. The wildlife also feels threatened because of continuous human encroachment into forest areas,” said Shyam Sunder Kaushik, divisional forest officer, wildlife, Gurgaon.

The department is also conducting a workshop to sensitise villagers on avoiding any kind of man-animal conflict.

“We visited the village on Wednesday and are spreading the message of co-existence. We cannot capture a wild animal just because it was spotted near the village. The area is its natural territory,” he added.

Meanwhile, villagers said they have seen a leopard frequently visiting the area. They claimed some of their pigs and goats are also missing and it is due to the wild animal.

“We have formed a team to patrol the area at night and have lit bonfires outside houses to keep the animal from entering the village,” said Surender Shastri of Mandawar.

The village is close to Dumdama lake and the Aravalli forest area, which provides adequate space and food for the survival of the predator species. According to the villagers, that is one reason for frequent sightings of wildlife in the area.