'Wear Helmets, Play Loud Music & Take Dog Along' To Save From Leopard Attack: UP Forest Official's Advisory

As the season of sugarcane harvest is coming, a large number of farmers will be working in the fields, which can eventually make them prone to leopard or tiger attacks.

Image: PTI

In order to save the villagers from the leopard attacks, the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department officials have asked the farmers from Bijnor and nearby districts to take dogs, wear helmet and beat drums before visiting the field. As the season of sugarcane harvest is coming, a large number of farmers will be working in the fields, which can eventually make them prone to leopard or tiger attacks. It maybe recalled that six people lost their life last year in the man-animal conflict. This year only mauling incidents were reported, without any fatality. Divisional forest officer M. Semmaran told the media, “As the sugarcane harvestings season is coming up, big cats can be found in the sugarcane field, as they provide perfect shelter to them. To reduce the man-animal conflict, we are making the farmers aware that they should go to the fields wearing helmets and neck pads. They should make a noise by beating drums or playing loud music on mobile or radio while working in the fields.” Forest officials are visiting different villages launching awareness programmes to make people aware of how to minimize the man-animal conflict in the region which is in the vicinity of the Amangarh Tiger Reserve. Several teams have been made to visit and meet the farmers to make them aware of how to be safe in such events of encounter. Posters have been put outside ration shops in rural areas, informing the farmers of 'preventive' measures. "In addition, they should venture out in groups and also take dogs with them. If farmers spot any big cat in their respective areas, they should inform forest officers whose contact numbers are written on the posters being pasted on the walls in rural areas. We have formed a special task force to take quick action on the tip-off about big cat sightings.", the DFO further added.