Imbalance in eco system, lack of food, cause for leopard attacks: Minister

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Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jananendra on Thursday said imbalance in the eco system and non-availability of food in their natural habitation has led to increase in leopard attacks on humans.

The Minister was responding to complaints of leopard attacks raised during the zero hour by T Narasipur JD(S) MLA Ashvin Kumar and joined by several other MLAs.

The legislators said leopards by venturing into human settlements in various parts of the State are causing a havoc and in some cases even leading to loss of lives.

I come from the Malnad region and animal attacks have affected us. Leopards are not getting their food in the forests. There is an imbalance, Jnanendra, who is MLA from the Tirthahalli constituency, said while responding on behalf of the government.

The number of leopards has increased, but not their food, he said, as he also cautioned about leopards that have tasted human blood.

Stating that there are 10-15 leopards in his taluk and there is an atmosphere of fear among the people there, even deaths, Ashvin Kumar, who raised the issue said, his constituency is spread across 58,000 hectares of which only 117 acres are reserve forests, and rest are all cultivated lands.

Dasarahalli JD(S) MLA R Manjunath said in his constituency there is need for 20-25 traps, while the forest department uses just 5-6 traps.

With many MLAs seeking to raise concerns of wild animals like leopards in their constituency, Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri urged them to suggest some solutions.

To this, while Sandur Congress MLA E Tukaram suggested that a dedicated sanctuary is needed for leopards, like the Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Varuna Congress MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah said that by ensuring on time harvesting of sugarcane crop by factories as sugarcane fields have become a place for leopards to hide, and making their capture difficult.

Senior Congress MLA and former Speaker Ramesh Kumar said leopards are carnivorous animals simply looking for food, and as we have altered the structure of the nature, such attacks are taking place.