Mumbai, Dec 11 (UNI) Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik has proposed an unconventional plan to curb leopard attacks in the state. An official confirmed on Thursday that the proposal involves releasing goats worth Rs 1 crore into forest areas to provide a steady food source for leopards and reduce their movement towards human settlements.
Naik said recently that when four people die in leopard attacks, the state pays Rs 1 crore in compensation. “Instead of repeatedly paying compensation, we intend to use the same amount to release goats in the forest, ensuring leopards find food within their habitat,” he stated, describing the proposal as a long-term mitigation measure.
The minister further noted that leopard habitats have increasingly shifted from forests to sugarcane fields, resulting in more frequent encounters with humans. To address this, the government also plans to plant fruit-bearing trees in forests to increase prey presence and encourage leopards to stay within wild zones.
Naik also said the state government has submitted a proposal to the Centre seeking to reclassify leopards from Schedule I to Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, which would allow greater flexibility in managing their population.
The initiatives come amid a rise in leopard attacks across districts such as Pune, Nashik and Ahilyanagar, where 55 people have lost their lives in recent incidents.
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