MANDYA | Dec 20, 2017: The spurt in illegal stone quarrying in Mandya district has taken a toll on the wildlife in the district. According to statistics from the Karnataka forest department, nearly 9 leopards and five other wild animals including a deer have been killed since 2014 in road accidents.
Shockingly, as many as 50 leopards strayed into human habitat this year alone, an indication of the increasing man-animal conflict plaguing the district following the destruction of forest cover.
Leopards are known to favour rocky terrain. The hillocks in the district is the perfect spot for the wild cats to laze around, But with indiscriminate stone quarrying many of them are being driven out of their habitat thus forcing them to stray into sugarcane fields and on the fringes of villages.
Senior forest officers say that most cases of leopards straying into human habitat were reported in Pandavapura and KR Pete taluks where stone mining activities are rampant. "As many as 20 leopards entered villages and killed livestock and in many cases injured people in and around Baby Betta, Kunti Betta, Melukote and Hulikere semi-forest areas. The hillocks where stone mining is rampant happens to be the natural habitat of the big cats. The presence of humans, drilling, use of explosives and other methods at quarrying sites force these elusive animals to enter villages in search of easy prey," said a forest officer on condition of anonymity.
Most illegal stone quarries are in and around Baby Hill Kaval deemed forest area. After pressure from villagers and a protracted legal battle launched by RTI activist Kallahalli Ravindra against illegal mining in Baby Hill Kaval forest areas, the district administration imposed prohibitory orders banning mining.
Forests areas including Baby Hill are the ideal habitat for leopards given their love for the rocky terrain and semi-forest landscape. Most leopards have now disappeared from this area, say foresters.
The straying of these animals has meant more villagers are being attacked especially when they are working in fields.
explosives extensively damaging the environment including wildlife. The state government must take immediate action against illegal mining across the district.
(Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)