A dangerous male leopard, responsible for multiple attacks on villagers and livestock killings near Dhandri village in Pauri, Uttarakhand, was finally eliminated by forest department officials on Thursday. The conclusion of the operation came after an intensive 48-day effort to capture the elusive and aggressive big cat.
The 48-Day Chase and Final Action
Forest authorities had been tracking the leopard's movements for nearly seven weeks using a combination of camera traps and pug mark analysis. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Mahatim Yadav of Garhwal division stated that the animal was systematically monitored as it repeatedly entered the village area, displaying aggressive behaviour that posed a clear threat to human safety.
The leopard proved to be particularly cunning, managing to escape on two separate occasions after entering cages laid by the forest team. Its most active hours were typically between 7 pm and 9 pm along village roads, a pattern that forced local residents to remain indoors after dusk. The repeated incidents of livestock predation in and around Dhandri village had heightened fear and concern among the community.
Due to the persistent danger, senior authorities extended the approval for the leopard's capture not once, but twice. The decision to ultimately put the animal down was taken as it was frequently sighted within human settlements and was assessed as a significant risk to public safety.
A Persistent State-Wide Conflict
This incident is not isolated. It underscores the severe and ongoing human-leopard conflict in Uttarakhand. Just in December, another leopard was eliminated in Pauri's Gajald area after it killed a woman and attacked several other individuals. In that case, the forest department had to deploy two private shooters.
According to official data, leopard encounters constitute the highest number of human-wildlife conflict incidents in Uttarakhand each year. The trend has remained grimly consistent. In 2025 alone, at least 15 people were killed and 97 were injured in leopard attacks, mirroring the casualty figures from previous years.
The state is home to a significant leopard population. Data from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) estimates that Uttarakhand has at least 3,000 leopards across its tiger-bearing forest divisions, including the Corbett and Rajaji Tiger Reserves, as well as other forest areas.
Strategic Responses and Future Plans
To formulate more effective management strategies, the Uttarakhand Forest Department, in collaboration with WII, is set to undertake a fresh study to assess the total leopard population across the state. This exercise is expected to aid in creating targeted action plans and developing detailed maps to strengthen surveillance and public awareness initiatives.
Furthermore, the state has taken steps to enhance its emergency response capabilities. Uttarakhand has expanded its Quick Response Teams (QRTs) from 62 to 93 units. This expansion aims to improve the capacity to respond promptly to wildlife and forest-related emergencies, a critical need given that a substantial portion of the state falls under the forest department's jurisdiction.
The situation in Dhandri village has now returned to normal, but the incident serves as a stark reminder of the delicate and often dangerous balance between human habitats and wildlife territories in the Himalayan state.
