Leopards on prowl, villagers in Ananthagiri, Amanam jittery

VISAKHAPATNAM: Villagers have raised alarm that leopards are on prowl in two

villages

in

Visakhapatnam district

for the last two days.

The leopards have been allegedly roaming in Ananthagiri mandal headquarter, close to Araku in Visakha

Agency

and Amanam village in Bheemili mandal, close to the Vizag city.

A leopard was seen on the hill near Pedduru Pothuraju temple on Thursday. Villagers say they are frightened to venture out for their day-to-day assignments on the hill. People in nearby villages used to scout for farm jobs at the hillock and to feed their cattle.

Now they are not venturing outside the villages.

On Wednesday, villagers in Ananthagiri had seen the leopard on Mondijamguda Road when it was moving towards Ramalayam Road.

Forest officials are verifying footprints of the animal to find out whether it was a leopard or another animal. Varahalu, forest beat officer of Ananthagiri mandal, has issued precautionary guidelines to the villagers and arranged nets and other equipment to capture the animal.

Even at Amanam Hills in Bheemili mandal, the villagers are scared to come out. The police have warned the public not to sleep outside the houses. The big cat had injured a cow on Thursday. Villagers said missing sheep and goats have become a routine in their area. They allege the culprits are the leopards on prowl.

Chief conservator of forest (CCF) Rahul Pandey said the leopards can be anywhere and they are not like lions or tigers which move around only in forest areas.

He ordered the officials to keep a watch on the movement of the animals and said the department would take proper measure to capture the animals. “We have captured four leopards during the 2007-08 period in Visakha city surroundings even in the city too. We released them at Marripakalu forest area in Visakha agency,” he said.


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