After two man-eaters were shot dead in Mandi district, prowling leopards are now giving sleepless nights to residents living on the periphery of the state's capital city- Shimla.
Leopard scare has panicked residents living at Sangti in Sanjauli locality.
Reports about leopard being cited in human habitats are percolating from different areas of the town.
“The Shimla municipal corporation received some reports of leopard prowling,” said Anish Kumar, Shimla divisional forest officer.
The leopard was last spotted near St Bede's College. “Some people have spotted leopard in the woods close to Navbahar areas,” said Dr Kuldeep Singh Tanwar, a retired Indian forest officer.
On Tuesday, a leopard had killed Tanwar's pet dog. He had traced the half-eaten carcass of the dog a few metres away from his house.
“When there is dearth of prey, leopards often stray into human habitats,” says principal chief conservator, forest, Ashwani Kumar Gulati.
He added that roaming mongrels in the town were also one of the factors that had been attracting the feline in human habitats.
“Stray dogs also attract leopards to the localities, hence one problem is instigating another one,” added Tanwar.
{{/usCountry}}“Stray dogs also attract leopards to the localities, hence one problem is instigating another one,” added Tanwar.
{{/usCountry}}Sanjauli resident Kamal Kishore said there were many reports of leopards prowling in Shimla, especially in the outskirts of the city. “People who live in those areas are living in fear,” he added.