NEELUM VALLEY (Kashmir English): A Leopard that has been roaming freely from the past few month in Neelum Valley has terrorized the local residents causing severe damage to their livestock.
According to the details, the Leopard has attacked over 20 goats in the recent attacks, causing concerns among the locals.
10 goats belonging to Irshad Dar son of Sharif Dar and 10 goats belonging to Abbas son of Nazk Khan have been killed by the wild Leopard.
The continued attacks have created a climate of fear in the community, with residents expressing fears for their own lives and for the safety of their livestock.
The local community has now issued a demand for compensation from the administration and the government for their losses from the leopard attacks.
The residents are urging the authorities to either kill or capture and relocate the leopard to ensure safety for both the human and animal populations in the area.
The unfortunate situation demonstrates the persistent human-wildlife conflict present in human settlments, particularly where wildlife can be a nuisance as they encroach on human habitat. The only reasonable response from the authorities is a concerted effort to assuage the community demands.
