Pune: Villagers of Pimparkhed, Shirur tehsil, about 100 km from Pune, are fearful after fresh sighting of leopards and the capture of five big cats over the last fortnight. The development comes barely four months after three fatal attacks though forest officials intensified efforts to track and catch the animals.Reportedly, new big cats have moved in and occupied territories vacated after earlier capture operations.Although officials said it was a natural behavioural pattern among leopards, it signals a return to anxiety and uncertainty for villagers.Pimparkhed stands on the boundary of Ambegaon and Shirur tehsils. Last year, a series of leopard attacks claimed three lives, including that of a school student. Angry residents had then staged a protest on the Pune-Nashik highway near Manchar and blocked vehicular movement for several hours. The agitation was called off after the district administration intervened and the state govt as well as forest minister Ganesh Naik gave assurances. The forest department had launched an intensive trapping operation then and captured 37 leopards, putting out a suspected man-eater, in less than four weeks.Assistant conservator of forest, Junnar division, Smita Rajhans told TOI: “Pimparkhed is a classic example of how quickly leopards occupy new territories. As soon as the earlier animals were removed, others sensed an opportunity and moved in. This is the reason for fresh sightings in the village.”The region’s landscape makes it particularly conducive for leopard habitation. Officials said the island-like cluster of around 17 villages in Shirur tehsil, known locally as the bet region, is a unique geographical feature. Pimparkhed and surrounding villages are dotted with water bodies and vast stretches of sugar cane fields and agricultural land which provide dense cover and easy access to prey. It has evolved into a prime leopard habitat over the last decade.“The region is a hotspot for leopard activity. Frequent sightings in farms are common and a constant challenge,” a forest official said.Pimparkhed sarpanch Narendra Dhome told TOI: “Sightings have increased in our village and the surrounding ones. New leopards have come in and will impact our lives like last year. Forest officials should keep a close watch and take measures immediately. It is evident now that capturing alone is not a viable solution.”Meanwhile, Rajhans said leopards are highly territorial. “The animals mark their territory by urinating, scratching trees and leaving other signs. The markers signal their presence. These signs disappear after an animal is captured and a vacuum is created. Other leopards detect it quickly and claim the territory. This is what has happened in Pimparkhed,” she said.Forest officials have resumed active trapping and monitoring in the village, even as they urge villagers to remain cautious. Awareness campaigns and precautionary measures are being reinforced to minimise the risk.
