Prowling panthers make Steel City shiver
Prowling panthers make Steel City shiver
VISAKHAPATNAM: The increasing incidents straying of wild animals (leopards and panthers) into Greater Visakha Municipal Corporatio..

VISAKHAPATNAM: The increasing incidents straying of wild animals (leopards and panthers) into Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation limits in the past few days has triggered panic among residents, particularly in Madhurawada, Bheemili and Kailasapuram, and has spurred the department of forest into action to track them.
The indiscriminate destruction of wildlife habitats in the guise of faster development of the city and rapid urbanisation in the past one decade has forced big cats like leopards intruding into human habitations in search of food.It may be recalled that an adult leopard, which had entered a deserted house in the thickly populated MVP Colony in February was tranquillised after two hours of arduous efforts by forest officials and sent in a cage to the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in the city. Just a few days ago a male panther was caught by the zoo employees at Amanam village in Bheemunipatnam mandal. The big cat had been straying into human habitations and lifting domestic animals for the past one month. The panther was released into the Maredumilli reserve forest in East Godavari district as it was mandatory that trapped wild animals be let back into open forest area.

Even before the scare has fully subsided, fresh pugmarks of an adult leopard have been spotted near Kailasapuram recently indicating the presence of more leopards. Leopards moving about in Durgakailasanagar and Shramiknagar residential areas near Kailasapuram in the wee hours. Those who saw it ran helterskelter for safety. The panther reportedly sat near a public tap for some time and left the area after hunting a stray dog later.

In January forest staff sighted two panther cubs that are about one year old on the seaward side of the hillock on which the Tribal Welfare Boys Residential School, Marikavalasa stands.

What's your reaction?

Comments

https://rawisda.com/assets/images/user-avatar-s.jpg

0 comment

Write the first comment for this!