Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: In yet another human animal (wild) conflict a fully grown leopard attacks a Cowshed (full of cattles tied-down), kills two Calves, before fleecing on in the unearthly night hours of Sunday – Monday.
Incidentally, though it was already late to save the two calves, it became a timely save to the rest of the Cattles tied-down in the Cowshed belonging to Vilas Aiya of Shellim-Loliem.
Aiya living nearby the cowshed hearing some chaotic sounds of cattle cries rushed on two towards the cowshed only to see a leopard jumping out from the cowshed and disappearing in the darkness. Aiya then felt aghast on seeing two of the young calves already lying dead in a pool of blood. Aiya says if he had not intervened at that time another cattle would have been the target to drink their blood. The leopard as it is believed that the leopard or any wild cat while killing its prey sucks its blood first and leaves the carcass to rot and then feast on it.
Aiya informed that previously also such an attack had taken place, and the leopard then took away a calf and when it heard sounds of people coming out thru the already dead calf in the cowdung –well and fled off. Taking away Dogs and fowls has been a regular feature here., but still neither of the government departments are in a position to work out a solution.
Yes, that time also I complained to the forest department, and they laid a trap with their dog in the cage, but even after a month the leopard was not caught, and finally the cage(trap) was taken away by the forest department.
Aiya speaking media said we as a habitant have reached to the extreme by our living standards encroaching in animal lands. Wild animals do not get anything to eat in forests, so they look for their prey in residential localities, if government is not doing enough, in some years Loliem village will be deserted a lot; as of now if anyone cultivates fruits or vegetable for own consumption, the monkeys, birds and other wild animals (including wild boars) comes and destroys them, neither things like coconuts, bananas, chikoos, Guava,, paddyfields, etc are spared by thes wild habitants which now become a domestic habitant living and surviving on human grown things. If you plant any fruit bearing trees you won’t get an opportunity to savour it, but leave it at the mercy of wild animals.
Speaking further Aiya also spoke on Cashew plantations saying it has also become non –profitable and a liability, as if we personally are unable to work due to sickness and old age, and employ someone to work in Cashew plantation, the returns are less than what one is expanding as wages. Cashew plantations are no more profitable to my type of people.’
Speaking further , Aiya said, if any wild animals like, wild-boars, bison, leopards are killed, the government takes swift action, but the same government is doing nothing to stop the wild animals from attacking and killing domestic animals and even threatening human lives itself in certain areas.’