Panic gripped the residents of Varchawada, Dhavalim, on the night of 19 June after a fully grown leopard entered the courtyard of a house in the Kulagar Bagayat area at the foothills, in an apparent attempt to poach a dog.
Mangal Gaude narrowly escaped a terrifying encounter when she stepped outside around 7.30 pm, alerted by the loud barking of her two dogs. “It was a close shave,” she said, recounting the moment she saw the leopard charging into her courtyard. “Seeing me and hearing my cries for help, the confused leopard abandoned its attempt to catch the dog and disappeared from the site.”
Her dogs managed to escape unscathed and fled into the house for safety. Gaude added, “I heaved a sigh of relief as the leopard, despite being just a short distance away, did not attack me.”
Her husband, Prakash Gaude, expressed concern over the increasingly frequent appearance of wild animals near their home. “We fear for our lives, especially during the evening hours when darkness sets in. These wild animals often enter our area between 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm. While there have been no attacks on humans so far, we remain worried for our safety,” he said.
This is not an isolated incident. Prakash recalled a frightening episode last year when a leopard entered their house through the main door and was discovered sitting on top of the refrigerator. As soon as it was spotted, it fled the scene.
He also noted that another family member had once seen a black panther on their pathway leading to the house. In addition, wild bison are frequently spotted in their plantation area.
The Gaudes live in the Kulagar Bagayat region, a densely vegetated slope rich with betel nut, coconut and other plantations. The area is home to eight small springs and a lake, which serve as water sources for the wild animals.
“Due to widespread deforestation, wild animals now roam closer to human settlements in search of water and food. Leopards specifically target dogs,” Prakash said.
The family, along with other local residents, have urged the Forest Department to take immediate steps to ensure their safety. They have called for measures such as installing cages to trap leopards or driving the animals back into deeper forest zones.