Uttarakhand has recorded five child fatalities due to leopard attacks across five distinct areas in under a month, with three prior incidents reported in the recent past. “Due to the leopard threat, we’ve declared a three-day holiday from Monday to Wednesday for primary schools in Village Maher, Bhod, and Poornal, as well as the upper secondary school in Anthwal village” said Sub-Education Officer Sumer Singh Kaintura. He added, “The half-yearly exams scheduled in these schools have been postponed. A new schedule will be announced after the schools reopen, and exams will be conducted accordingly.” Forest Ranger Ashish Nautiyal said, “After the girl’s death, shooters have been deployed on a ‘Machan’ in the village. We’re waiting for the leopard to return to the site, as it usually does after making a kill.” Uttarakhand’s Chief Wildlife Warden, Ranjan Mishra, urges public awareness to tackle human-wildlife conflicts. Speaking to , Mishra emphasized, “We’re focusing on public awareness programs. Just as we follow traffic rules on the road, we must follow co-habiting rules in the forest.” He stressed that understanding and respecting wildlife habitats is crucial for peaceful coexistence. “By adopting simple precautions and guidelines, we can significantly reduce conflicts,” added CWW Mishra. To tackle escalating human-wildlife conflicts, the state forest department has intensified surveillance and patrolling in sensitive “hotspot” areas, revealed Chief Wildlife Warden Ranjan Mishra.
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