Jumbo depredation on the rise

Tirupati: Even before the onset of summer, the people of Chittoor district are living in constant fear for the last four days as wild elephants and leopards are on the prowl in Kuppam constituency and around the Tirumala Hills. Residents are extremely scared to venture out, especially during nights.

It may be recalled that a herd of wild elephants frequently cross between villages in Shantipuram mandal under the Kuppam constituency. Thus, creating panic among villagers, mainly farmers. On the other end, leopards were spotted in villages falling under V Kota and Shantipuram mandals and near Tirumala Hills.

For the last four days, especially during midnights, wild elephants have been straying from the Banagiriguttalu of Karnataka forest area into villages of Thimmanapalle and Pedduru in Shantipuram mandal, damaging crops spread over hundreds of acres. In the early hours of Tuesday, a herd of elephants strayed into the agricultural fields and destroyed the crops like banana, paddy, tomato and beans worth Rs 50 lakh.

The TTD forest range officials of Kuppam and Tirumala have sounded a high alert and cautioned the public not to go into the agricultural fields, especially during nights. In addition, forest officials have deployed a total 40 member-additional force including elephant trackers with crackers and drums to divert the elephant herd towards Karnataka forest.

However, a herd of elephants strayed near Utakunta Neeti Madugu forest area on Tuesday also. Officials were closely watching the elephant herd movement to prevent the loss of lives by them. Similarly, for the last four days, leopards were sighted near the Tirumala Hills and in residential localities of Balaji Nagar and on the pilgrims’ footpath creating panic. In addition, 16 elephants were spotted by Mamandur Forest DRO Narayana and his team near Prakruthibata while they were carrying out combing operations against red sanders smugglers on Monday midnight.

According to forest officials, the wild animals stray into these residential localities as their population has increased and they are coming out in search of food and water. Four years ago, only 32 wild elephants were found in the district, and about 40 leopards in the western side of the forest division. There was a 10 per cent increase of wild animals in Seshachalam forest and on the border areas of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Due to this reason, wild animal attacks have been increasing in the villages and residential localities close to forest.

By K Nethaji