There is terror of leopards in Bijnor of Uttar Pradesh. Their terror is more in sugarcane-rich areas. Farmers and their animals keep falling prey to leopards every day. The forest department has started a campaign against leopards. Cages are being installed near sugarcane fields to catch them. Although leopards are not being captured in these cages, the goats kept in them are definitely being stolen. So far, goats have been stolen from five cages.
The forest department is running ‘Operation Leopard’ in the district. In Bijnor, leopards have made 45 people their prey in the last one and a half years. More than 100 people have also been seriously injured due to leopard attacks. The forest department has also declared 100 villages of Bijnor as highly sensitive due to the movement of leopards. 50 villages have been identified where leopards have camped in sugarcane fields.
Forest department is keeping cages in fields
As soon as information is received about leopards being seen in fields and villages, forest department teams reach there and place cages to catch the leopards. When leopards get trapped in these cages, the forest department releases them in the forests. However, now the forest department is facing a new challenge along with leopards.
Actually, to trap leopards in cages, a goat or sheep is tied in one corner of the cage as bait, due to the sound and smell of which the leopards reach the cage to hunt the goat and get trapped, but in some areas thieves are stealing goats from the cages.
Goats stolen from 5 cages
DFO of Bijnor forest department Gyan Singh said that so far information has been received about goat theft from five cages at night. Goats have disappeared from cages from Harinagar, Mubarakpur of Chandpur forest range and Rambagh of Bijnor forest range. Goats have been bought there again and tied in cages.
Forest department created ‘Van Mitras’
Now the forest department has started creating volunteer Van Mitras in every village. These Van Mitras are also being given proper workshop training, so that these Van Mitras will not only give tips to the villagers about protection from leopards but will also keep an eye on the cages.
400 leopards in sugarcane fields
Forest department teams have captured about 52 leopards in cages and left them in forests and zoos. According to Bijnor DFO Gyan Singh, about 400 leopards are living in sugarcane-rich areas, which prey on farmers and their animals whenever they get a chance.
