Forest dept prohibits grazing at Chamundi Hills after sighting of leopard

Mysuru: The forest department has prohibited grazing of livestock at the Chamundi Hills in the wake of increased sightings of leopards in the region.
The reserve forest area around Chamundi Hills has been a habitat for leopards and the increasing concretisation atop the hills to provide facilities for the devotees has threatened the natural habitat of leopards.
Several instances of devotees spotting leopards, especially during night, have been reported, according to forest officials. The animals have also been regularly sighted at Uttanahalli, Bandipalya, Gowri Shankar Nagara and near Mysuru Zoo. The leopards, which are basically shy animals, come out from hiding places during night to hunt and occasionally enter nearby human habitat to catch stray dogs which are easy prey.
In the second week of September, few youths who were returning in their bikes in the night, after having darshan of the deity at the Sri Chamundeshwari Temple, sighted a leopard sitting on the parapet wall along the road on the hills. The youths captured the leopard in their mobile phone and the video clip went viral on social media.
Although there have been no incidents of leopards attacking humans at the Chamundi Hills, there are instances where they have lifted stray dogs in the nearby layouts and forest department, based on the complaints of residents, has captured several leopards.
Mysuru division DCF K C Prashanth Kumar told TOI that Chamundi Hills is a natural habitat of leopards. “Hundreds of people visit the hills daily, but there have been no incidents of attack on humans. There is no need for people to panic,” he said.
Prashanth Kumar said that the camera trap studies by the forest department confirm that there are leopards in the hills. “Department does not allow grazing of livestock in the Chamundi Hills. If we find any person from the surrounding villages entering the forest area with their cattle for grazing, the patrolling staff will immediately send them out,” he said.