Sugarcane Leopards: UP Villages Live in Fear

In Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor and Moradabad districts, residents of nearly 500 villages are experiencing heightened fear due to the persistent presence of leopards. These big cats, locally termed "sugarcane leopards" as they are born and reside in extensive sugarcane fields, have become a significant concern for forest officials and villagers alike.

Over the past eight months, forest officials have captured 50 leopards in Bijnor, yet reports of sightings and attacks continue. In the last two weeks alone, two individuals lost their lives and at least a dozen were injured in leopard encounters. The affected areas span the border between Moradabad and Bijnor, near Uttarakhand, characterized by sugarcane fields and the Ramganga river.

Officials suspect that reduced rainfall and increased human activity in sugarcane fields for fodder collection may have contributed to the surge in leopard activity. While two leopards were captured in Moradabad this week, efforts are ongoing to locate and capture others. Precautionary measures, including intensified public awareness campaigns, deployment of cages, and advisories for villagers and farmers, are in place.