Team Herald
BICHOLIM: Bicholim residents heaved a sigh of relief after the Forest Department captured a leopard that had been sighted in the area over the past few days.
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Acting on multiple complaints from villagers, Forest Department officials placed a cage at Dhabdhaba and managed to trap the elusive wild cat.
The villagers had earlier reported the leopard straying into their locality and expressed concerns for their safety, urging the Forest Department to intervene. Previously, a leopard was injured in the area after being hit by a speeding car but managed to retreat into the forest. In another incident, locals spotted leopard crossing a road. Residents strongly believe that the recent surge in leopard sightings is linked to the resumption of mining activities in the region. They argue that mining operations, particularly the 24-hour three-shift schedules, are severely disrupting the natural ecosystem of leopards, driving them into human-dominated areas.
The Forest Department has yet to confirm whether mining activities are directly responsible, but locals remain steadfast in their opinion that the disturbance to wildlife habitats is to blame.
