Eight Dooars tea gardens on leopard alert

SILIGURI: Forest officials have issued a high alert to managements of eight of the 13 tea gardens around the Bagdogra forest range after a leopard was sighted in one of them. The eight tea gardens are Bengdubi, Kamalapur, Singhijhora, Sanyasithan, Kiranchandra, Maryview, Belgachia and Tirana. Forest officials said of the eight, Bengdubi, Kamalapur and Maryview have been categorised as highly vulnerable to leopard attacks.
Bagdogra forest ranger Samiran Raj said: “Leopards enter villages and gardens in search of food. Whenever we receive such information, we place a cage in the area to avoid harm to humans. Leopards are usually attracted by cattle roaming in the open. Hence, we request villagers to keep their cattle in shelters to curb leopard attacks. Villagers should avoid walking around alone. They should also remove bushes and shrubs in their surroundings.”