TANAHUN: In response to a leopard attack that claimed the life of a 10-year-old girl, authorities have set up a goat pen to lure and control the wild animal in Kamidanda, Bandipur Rural Municipality-2.
The Division Forest Office, Tanahun, deployed the trap on Sunday, two days after the fatal incident. Ward Chair Tilak Bahadur Kunwar said locals are living in fear following repeated leopard sightings in and around Kamidanda.
“People are scared. We have urged residents to remain cautious, especially in the evenings and at night,” Kunwar said.
The victim, Anuja BK, was attacked while walking to her aunt’s house. Her body was later recovered from the nearby forest.
The Forest Division Office has issued a public alert, advising residents to light up their homes and surroundings at night, avoid walking alone, especially after dark, clear bushes around homes, and keep children and elderly individuals under close supervision.
According to the Division Forest Office, Tanahun, leopard attacks have increased in recent years, with 14 children reportedly killed in the past six years across Bhanu, Bandipur, Shuklagandaki, and Aanbukhaireni.
Assistant Forest Officer Kashiraj Pandit attributed the rise in human-wildlife conflict to deforestation and a decline in wild prey populations. “As forests are cleared for settlements and wild animals are hunted, leopards are increasingly venturing into human settlements for food,” he said.
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