An injured leopard found in Hemja, Pokhara, died shortly after it was rescued last week. It was the second fatally injured leopard that had been found in Hemja in a month.

Rajendra Thapa, a local forest guard who was involved in the rescue of the two leopards, said on both instances the leopards had suffered what appeared to be the injuries inflicted by humans.

“The first leopard that was found unconscious, one of its eyes and its teeth were damaged,” Thapa said.

He added that the leopard found last week also was unconscious “most likely caused by blunt force trauma to the head.” Several stray leopards have been killed in Pokhara and adjoining areas in the past—six leopards were found dead after consuming poisoned meat in Pokhara one and a half months ago.

Officials at Kaski District Forest Office say every once in a while they receive a report about stray leopards roaming in busy city areas. The office has rescued 50 stray leopards from Pokhara since 2011.

But every leopard that has lost its way and found itself in a human settlement does not get rescued. Conservationists say when people see a leopard in their settlement, they see the animal as a threat and try to kill it lest it should try to attack them and their children. “Not enough efforts are being made to reduce human-wildlife conflict and to raise awareness about wildlife conservation. We don’t even have a wildlife rehabilitation centre in case we rescue an injured animal that needs treatment,” said Raju Acharya, a conservationist.

Leopards entering the human settlements in Pokhara and villages nearby is common because of the proximity with the Annapurna Conservation Area. “It is often the case that wild animals enter human settlements because they are not getting enough to eat in their dwellings. There should be a study on the status of leopard habitat and an awareness programme to make sure that leopards or any other animals are not killed whenever they enter human settlements,” Acharya said.

Leopards entering human settlements is also a major problem in some villages in Arghakhanchi district. Many leopards have been spotted in Chidipani, Sandhikharka, Kimadanda, Nuwakot and Khanchikot villages in the past. There have been many incidents of leopard-human encounters in these villages in the past. And both sides have lost their lives.

Baliram Pandit of the District Forest Office said they have found at least six dead leopards in last two years. “All these leopards were found near human settlements,” he said. “Leopards preying on humans and humans killing leopards are common occurrences in some villages.”

Leopard menace has also been reported in some villages in Palpa, including Deurali, Baughagumha, Khasyauli, and Chappani. One official at the District Forest Office says leopard attacks have increased after people started conserving forests under the community forest programme.

“Leopard population has increased with the forest conservation programme, but they do not have enough food. So they have started preying on humans,” claimed Krishna Prasad Gyawali, assistant forest officer of the district.

Yadav Ghimire, who studies leopard habitat, however, says that the increased leopard attack on humans has more to do with the loss of their habitat to forest encroachment, farming and other human activities.

“When their habitat is shrinking, they will certainly have difficulty finding the preys. And in case of mother leopards, they will have no means of feeding their young cubs unless they get out of their territory,” Ghimire said.

He believes that the lives of both leopards and humans  could be saved if the concerned authorities are to conduct a comprehensive study on leopard habitat which is under threat.

(Reporting by Shiva Sharma in Kaski, Madhav Aryal in Palpa, Birendra Kc in Arghakhanchi)