07-05-2025
Leopard alarm in 2 villages as goats, sheep & dogs disappear in Kolhapur
Kolhapur: Residents of Desaiwadi and Khotwadi villages in the district's Panhala tehsil have now written to forest officials here demanding they set up traps for a leopard which the villagers said was responsible for the disappearance of sheep, goats and several dogs from their villagers also warned that they would "lock up" the forest department's office in Panhala if the traps were not set. Desaiwadi and Khotwadi villages are located approximately three kilometres from each Khot, a resident of Khotwadi village, said: "In the last 10 days, the leopard has killed one goat, a sheep, 10 dogs and a calf here and in Desaiwadi. Farm workers are now scared to work the fields. We're unable to harvest ready crops. Because it's the summer, we get electricity to the agriculture pumps only at night, which means farmers have to step out after dark to turn them on." Another villager in Khotwadi, Tanaji Khot, said: "We're already faced with heavy crop losses due to gaurs (Indian Bison). Now, we're worried about the leopard. The forest department should trap it soon. If it fails to do so, we'll lock the door to the Panhala forest department office."Forest Ranger RS Rasal said the department was working to track down the animal. Pugmarks of a leopard were found in the vicinity of the 2 villages, he said.
