Leopard Rescue Centre to come up at Yelwal
Mysuru: In response to the rising incidents of leopard attacks in the forest fringes and urban areas of Mysuru, plans are underway to establish a state-of-the-art Leopard Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre at Yelwal, on the Mysuru-Hunsur Road. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) with an estimated cost of Rs. 70 crore has been prepared and is awaiting Government approval.
The Forest Department is taking proactive steps to find a permanent solution to increasing leopard attacks and following the successful establishment of a Leopard Task Force (LTF), efforts are now on to set up the rehabilitation centre — inspired by the Gujarat model — for rescued leopards in a 92-acre area.
Over the past few years, the increase in leopard sightings has been significant not only in Mysuru but also in Chamarajanagar, Hassan, Mandya and Kodagu districts. These leopards have been instilling fear by attacking not only livestock but also people. Although leopards generally have a timid nature, avoiding human settlements, incidents in T. Narasipur Taluk of Mysuru district two years ago saw four people, including a young girl, being killed by leopards.
Additionally, over the past two years, leopards have been preying on livestock and pet dogs, which has raised concerns. Consequently, the establishment of a Leopard Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre has been prioritised.
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