Anantapur: Two leopards were found dead in agricultural fields under suspicious circumstances near Melavoi on outskirts of Madakasira reserved forest on Thursday.
It is suspected that they might have died due to consumption of poisoned meat. Both of these wild animals are less than two years old.
Forest officials have burnt their bodies after conducting a post-mortem on them.
Leopards have been regularly found moving close to human habitations, including in municipal towns of Madakasira, Kalyanadurgam and Rayadurg in Anantapur and Satyasai districts.
A forest official said the number of leopards has almost tripled in the last five years because of easily available prey in forest and hillock areas. However, they have also started entering human habitations for prey, following which farmers have started poisoning them.
