Leopards straying into human settlements in North Karnataka as the big cats lose habitats to a rise in mining, a fall in prey
Sugarcane and maize fields with thick, tall trees are the perfect shelter for animals, especially the big cats, to hide.
Prey like cattle, sheep, stray dogs, wild boars, etc., are found aplenty for them in these fields. Besides that, these fields provide water and a safe place for the breeding of leopards.
As per 2023-24 data, the sugarcane growing area in Karnataka is 10 lakh hectares which was 7.65 lakh hectares in 2019-20. And, the maize field has grown to 20.13 lakh hectares during the last four years which was 15 lakh hectares earlier.
However, this has increased animal-human encounters in these areas of north Karnataka. Loss of habitat, mining, and decreasing prey are the major factors forcing the big cats to move to new areas.
The leopard population is increasing with time and in this vein, in Koppal 57 livestock have died owing to the rising leopard population from 2022. Karnataka Forest Department data shows a total of 82 human-leopard conflict incidents with livestock killing in Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Bidar, and Bagalkot districts. Similarly, in Bagalkot’s Yadahalli Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary where first-time leopards were seen in 2015, and at present there are 3 adult leopards in and around Yadahalli.
Forest officials suspect that these leopards used sugarcane fields in the Krishna River basin and migrated to Yadahalli. Likewise, in the last three years, six leopards have been seen in Vijayapura district’s sugarcane fields where there are hardly any records of leopard sightings earlier.
Leopards arrive from other habitations and take shelter in the sugarcane dry fields. About 60% of wild leopards live outside Karnataka’s protected areas. After sowing in the sugarcane fields farmers usually don’t venture for 12-15 months. This scenario becomes suitable for female leopards for the breeding. Rescuing of leopard cubs from sugarcane and maize fields has become a routine practice in North Karnataka.
