A wave of panic swept through Jakara village in Odisha's Ganjam district on Sunday after some individuals allegedly spotted a leopard on the Chikiti-Digapahandi road, adjacent to the Ratanei forest area. The sighting prompted immediate action from forest officials, who rushed to monitor the big cat's movement after a video of the leopard roaming on the road went viral on social media.
Villager Reports Goat Attack
A resident of Jakara claimed that one of his goats sustained injuries in a leopard attack late on Saturday night. However, forest officials have not yet confirmed the incident. An official stated, "No written complaint has been lodged with us. We have advised the villager to submit a written complaint, and we will investigate the matter."
Forest Department Response
Under the leadership of Digapahandi Range Officer Dibya Ranjan Sahu, a team of forest officials has deployed at least two camera traps in the vulnerable area, and patrolling has been intensified, according to Sunny Khokkar, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Berhampur. Officials indicated that additional camera traps and drone cameras may be used to monitor the leopard's movement if necessary. Despite these efforts, officials have not yet sighted the leopard or found any pug marks during their search.
Alert for Residents
Even without concrete evidence of the leopard's presence, forest officials have alerted nearby villagers. An official advised residents living near the forest to remain cautious and report any wildlife sightings immediately to the forest department.
Previous Sightings and Census Data
This is not the first leopard sighting near the Ratanei forest area. Residents had reported a similar sighting a few months ago. Forest officials noted that during the last tiger census conducted in 2024, leopards were detected in the Ratanei forest area. However, no depredation cases involving big cats have been reported in the region recently.
