ADILABAD: An instance of a big cat infiltrating an agricultural field, presumably in search of water and cover from the sun, has put villagers in Adilabad’s Tamsi mandal on alert.
An adult leopard was spotted in the agricultural fields of Kapparla village of Tamsi mandal two days ago. Even as the villagers were panicking and in a frenzy, the leopard was resting among the jowar crop to avoid the sun.
The scorching summer heat is taking its toll on the wildlife in Adilabad, with dried water bodies and diminishing tree cover pushing animals to infiltrate human habitations to get relief. The forests in the region are deciduous and are wearing a transparent look due to trees shedding leaves during summer.
The leopard was spotted sleeping by labourers operating a crusher machine to harvest the crops from fields owned by local farmers Kema Parameshwar and Thokala Ravi on the outskirts of Kapparla. The workers eventually shooed away the wild cat — by making loud noises — to a nearby forest.
They said they were shocked to see a leopard emerge from the field, and that it woke up only because of the noise created by the machinery.
A video of the incident also went viral on social media platforms.
Farmers have sought the help of forest officials to protect the workers from the big cats, as it was an intensive harvesting season and also a season to undertake preparations for the next season.
Forest officials tracked the movements of the leopard and also its habitat in the wild following the incident.
