Leopard attacks on rise in Anantapur, No rains force wild life stray out

News Meter Network
Hyderabad: With no rains in the vicinity, Anantapur district has been witnessing series of wildlife attacks on cattle and humans. Anantapur forest officials told News Meter that leopards and wild bears are coming out of the forest area in search of drinking water resulting in man-animal conflict.
Kalyandurg Forest Range Officer R S Ram Singh told News Meter, ”We have spotted record number of leopards in the past few months. The number of cattle kill cases were awarding compensation has increased. In this month alone we have compensated 10 cases. Since April at least 30 cases of cattle killed by leopards were given compensation in Kalyandurg division alone,”Most of the area in the Kalyandurg is a shrub and degraded forest".

We have spotted at least 25 leopards in the range. The population is growing. Two cases of human attacks where victims survived minor injuries approached us and we have given compensation to them. More than leopard attacks wild bear attacks increased. Since one and a half month, there are no rains here. Wildlife is straying out from the degraded forest to nearest human habitations,” said Ram Singh.

He, however, said that the video that is going viral saying a leopard was spotted in Kalyandurg is not related to Anantapur district. “The video is not linked to Anantapur,” he said.