Tigers Kill 40, Leopards Kill 14 in Maharashtra
Leopard attacks are increasing across Maharashtra, causing fear among villagers. Amid the crisis, SGNP shows successful coexistence, and Kuno celebrates the birth of five cheetahs.
The fear of leopard attacks has been rising in many Maharashtra villages, especially in Pune, Nashik, and Ahilyanagar districts. In the last two months, 14 people have been killed, including three children and one elderly person. One heartbreaking case took place in the Junnar/Shirur taluka of Pune district.
A 13-year-old boy, Rohan, was playing in a sugarcane field near his home when a leopard suddenly attacked him. The leopard grabbed him by the neck and dragged him deep inside the field. His father, Vikas Bombe, saw the attack but could not save him. Villagers searched for hours and later found Rohan dead.
The shocking incident led to protests, and villagers set a forest ranger’s patrol car on fire. The Maharashtra government then declared the leopard a “man-eater,” and on 5 November, government sharpshooters shot it dead.
Fear still continues because many leopards now live in sugarcane fields instead of forests. Maharashtra has over 3,800 leopards, and more than 2,000 are staying in farms. Farmers are now wearing belts with sharp nails, installing iron grills, and even putting electric fences around their homes.
Villager Vitthal Rangnath Jadhav said they see a leopard almost every day, and his mother was killed by one last month. CM Devendra Fadnavis has proposed declaring leopard attacks a “state disaster,” while Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has promised to relocate 50 leopards to Vantara in Jamnagar.
Tiger attacks are also rising in Chandrapur, where 40 people have been killed this year.
Amid all this, Mumbai’s SGNP has shown peaceful coexistence, with over 54 leopards and minimal conflict. In Madhya Pradesh, cheetah Mukhi has given birth to five cubs in Kuno. Another highlight is National Geographic’s October 2025 cover featuring a rare Black Tiger from Odisha.
