Wine must have a story to tell and the fact that a leopard has been making rounds in the Sula vineyards would make an interesting legend one day, perhaps in 2037.
Forester Umesh Wagh of the West Division reportedly confirmed that their pug marks had been sighted. "It is there in this area but basically comes to prey on local dogs. Also since there is water and shade the area offers the animal a good hiding place for a stealth attack on its prey," he said.
The leopard that has been spotted in the vicinity in the past few years is known to have done no harm to human beings; neither has it destroyed fields nearby.
According to a report in the Nashik edition of TOI, Vijay Deore, Administrative Manager of Sula Wines said, "The leopard has been roaming in this vicinity for the last five years. The forest department has surveyed the area trying to keep a track of the leopard. It keeps wandering between Mehrawani, Gangapur (where Sula vineyards are located) and Lakhmapur and it has never harmed human beings.”
Wagh said that since the animal was not causing harm to human life or property, a trap may not be necessary. The Deputy conservator of forests (West) said he would look into the matter of the delay in getting the panchnama done; it was entered on Monday despite the sighting reported on Saturday.
The same newspaper had reported earlier in July that a seven-year-old girl was dragged away by a leopard at night and killed. She was pounced upon by a leopard who might have mistaken her for prey. This was the first instance since 2006 when another child was similarly killed.
Leopards are not normally known to kill humans and when they do, chances are that they kill small children whom they may mistake for small animals. While we hope the story has a happy ending and we would not mind Sula coming out with the Leopard label, we hope the local people are using enough precautions and keeping the small children away from the area. |