Tanahun, Jan 17: Locals of Bandipur Rural Municipality-4, Tundikhel, Hospital and other areas of Tanahun district are being panicked with frequent visibility of leopards in the evening hours.
Chairperson of Tundikhel Tole Development Committee, Kisan Pradhan cautioned everyone when leopards are repeatedly seen in the area in the evening.
“All are getting frightened when the jungle beast is seen every day. The guardians are requested not to take children to the areas around hospital and Tundikhel space in the evening”, Chair Pradhan said. He shared that the committee had already asked the locals to clean up bushes around their homes.
Amir Gurung, a local, urged all to stay alert in the evening and early morning hours as leopards are frequently visible in Tundikhel area. “Children are more prone to leopard attacks so they should be kept cautious in the morning and evening hours”.
Bandipur Rural Municipality chair Surendra Thapa said informed that the locals were asked to adopt safety measures to remain away from leopard attacks.
It may be noted that the number of people injured and killed by leopards in Tanahun has increased. In the last six years, 13 children have lost their lives due to leopard attacks. Children below 12 years were among those killed by the leopard. Children from Bhanu and Shuklagandaki municipalities, Abukhaireni and Bandipur rural municipalities have died due to leopard attacks.
According to the Division Forest Office, Tanahun, leopards have started bouncing on people in lack of prey in the forest. In order to ward off leopard menace, people have been urged to light up their homes in the evenings and night and not to walk alone.
Assistant Forest Officer Kashiraj Pandit said that the houses should be illuminated in the evening and night, the bushes should be cleaned and children and elderly people should be taken care of as measures to avoid leopards.
Human-wildlife conflict is on the rise due to rising deforestation, settlement expansion, killing and hunting of wild animals.
