Team Herald
PONDA: A leopard has become “domesticated” after frequent encounters with the villagers in Talavlim. The wildcat was even spotted resting in front of houses causing a feeling of thrill, fear and excitement among the villagers.
After night fall, many locals spot a leopard taking rest at the courtyard of some houses comfortably at Talavlim and last night it was spotted by locals at three places in the village. The leopard has killed two dogs.
Some youth who were having a party and enjoying their drink near an abandoned house ran for life after they saw a leopard entering the abandoned house where they were partying. The leopard was also found moving in school premises at night causing fear among parents.
Scared of the leopard moving in residential areas, Kavlem and Talavalim villagers on Friday rushed to Ponda and complained to the deputy conservator of forests about the movement of the wildcat in their village. They also requested the officer to trap the wildcat and release it in the jungles before it attacks the villagers or their domestic animals.
According to forest officials, the leopard usually does not attack humans. As soon as it sees a man, it runs away and so no need to worry. But locals don’t buy the argument of Forest Officials.
According to locals there is no guarantee that the wildcat will not attack locals. According to locals, the Forest Officials should trap this animal and take him away. It is now more than two years that a leopard is freely roaming in residential area.
Forest officials say that it is difficult to trap a leopard as it can easily kill stray dogs for food. “When it can easily get food, why would the leopard get into a cage to eat dogs?” an officer said.
Kavlem, Talavlim, Borim and Bandora are surrounded by jungles areas. The villagers complain that after trapping the leopards, the Forest Officials leave them in nearby forest areas of Bondla and they soon return to the villages.
