15 Leopards, 2 Crocodiles Rescued From Human Habitations In Bahraich

Fifteen leopards and two crocodiles have been rescued from human habitations and shifted to safer natural habitats in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district since July 21, as flooding and waterlogging in the Katarniaghat forest forced wildlife towards populated areas, officials said.

Continuous rainfall in Nepal and the release of water from barrages caused water levels to rise in parts of the forest, leaving animals with fewer dry areas and pushing them towards villages. The movement has increased the risk of human-wildlife conflict in settlements located around the forest.

On Tuesday, forest officials rescued an estimated 10-year-old male leopard weighing 50-55 kg from a closed irrigation department store in Ward No. 6 of Mihinpurwa. The animal was safely trapped using a cage and later moved to a secure location for further assessment.

Divisional Forest Officer Apoorv Dixit said leopards have been rescued by placing cages at locations where they were spotted in populated areas. An adult male leopard was also rescued a day earlier from Ramsahay Purwa in the Kakraha range.

Two crocodiles were rescued on Tuesday after straying into human settlements. One entered a house in Pairua village, while another was found in the Mihinpurwa municipal area. Forest teams used specialised crocodile-trapping cages before releasing the reptiles into a river.

Dixit said 20 leopards have been rescued and released into safe natural habitats since January 1.

The rescue operations come amid several recent leopard attacks in villages around the forest. Officials said 28-year-old Ramsingh was killed in Mehboob Nagar, while two children were killed in separate incidents in Matehi and Anand Nagar.

The forest department has appealed to residents to avoid approaching flooded areas, rivers and drains, where wildlife may be present. People have also been urged not to surround or disturb animals and to immediately inform forest officials about sightings.