Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Aug 29: The attack of leopards in residential areas is increasing day by day in many districts of the state. People living in nearby areas of the forests are concerned.

The forest department is finding it difficult to catch the leopard which entered Belagavi city 22 days ago. Similarly, forest department personnel are still unable to trace the leopard that killed a woman at Nyamati of Davanagere three days ago.

Three separate incidents of sighting of leopards were reported from Uttara Kannada, Koppal and Udupi districts.

Representational image

Leopards which mostly live in forests are venturing into residential areas frequently as they do not get food in the forests.

In 2016, a leopard had entered the school campus of Vibgayar school of Bengaluru.

In Udupi, a leopard was spotted frequently at Moodugiliyaru village of Kota. Students returning from school saw a leopard near Basavanakallu in the evening. One more leopard was spotted inside a bush beside a busy road.

A leopard was spotted on the hill of Jayanagar area of Gangavati taluk in Koppal district. Last year, a leopard killed two people at Hanumanahalli and Virupapur Gudda.

In the district of Belagavi, a leopard was seen in a farm on August 24 near Kavalekadi cross. In Uttara Kannada the leopard was seen at Kundaragi, Mavinakatta and Barani villages.

The leopard which attacked a labourer at Jadhav Nagar of the city on August 5, still remains untraced. A four-year=old male leopard was caught in a trap laid by forest department officials at Boppanahalli of H D Kote taluk of Mysuru.

The number of wild animals has increased in the state. This was proved in the census of wildlife animals. That is why the wild animals are arriving into residential areas, according to Belagavi CFO Manjunatha Chavana.