Jammu, Nov 6 (IANS): Forty sheep and goats were killed by a leap of leopards in an overnight attack at a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district, an official of the Wildlife Protection Department said on Friday.
He said that the incident occurred in Gundigagra village in Gool tehsil on Thursday night. "A departmental team has rushed to the village to assess the damage," the official said.
Encroachment of natural habitat of wild animals have increasingly forced them to venture into populated areas in search of food. This has led to man-animal conflict, especially in foothill areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Under the wildlife protection laws, killing a leopard is punishable by fine and imprisonment.