Pune: Forest guards in Junnar have found out that it is tough to help both leopards and humans, especially living in such close proximity. On some days, the Junnar division of forest department is left wondering how they can mitigate the conflict . As a TOI team walked through fields with the forest guards, they said, “We have to save both the leopards and the people.
How long can we power through?” From 8am, forest staff take out every territory for possible sightings of a leopard and check the trap cages. Sometimes, they need to verify claims of livestock deaths in leopard attacks. Once done, they patrol each assigned region, checking for any signs of a leopard’s presence.
But when there is fearful talk of a feline that has killed or injured yet another person in the taluka, forest officers have to set aside their daily duties, and rush to the spot where they are met with angry villagers and much worse, a possibly aggressive leopard. Forester Rupavali Jagtap said they meet furious villagers who sometimes assault them. “But, we understand their pain.
They call us names and say we don’t do enough. My life is dedicated to this job and we try to do as much as we can. But, we too have their fears and their limitations.
We also want policy changes.” On May 10, a leopard killed a 45-year-old woman in Pimpri Pendhar in a leopard attack. A group of angry women turned on a woman forest guard and allegedly tried to throttle her.
“Several rumours demoralize guards, who wo.