Leopards Lose Their Homes To Humans In India

Residents of rural towns in India have killed two rare leopards after the cats left their mountain habitats presumably to search for food.

The incidents highlight the growing conflict between the animals and humans sparked by India's eco-
nomic boom and rapid population growth, The Times of London reports.

In the latest incidents residents of Nashik clubbed a leopard to death with sticks and iron bars after the cat strayed into a residential area and injured four people.

Local television showed footage of the terrified animal running across a city park as dozens of people chased it.

A second leopard was followed and beaten to death in a mountainous region of Jammu and Kashmir
after it injured two people in town.

It is estimated there are more than 14,000 leopards in India.


SOURCE:
Physorg.com

This is very sad, and just shows how ignorant and evil humanity
can be.

I mean what do you expect when you start diminishing the land
these animals have lived on for a long time, they are only doing
what's natural, protecting their territory and trying to survive.

What the people have done to these two cats is deplorable, and
I think those invilved should get heavily fined, if not atleast a six
month jail sentence.


Commentsa, Opinions?

[edit on 1/19/2007 by iori_komei]

As you are undoubtably aware, this is, and has, happened everywhere man goes. It's unfortunate, yes...however, what do you expect those villiagers to do?

Here in my area, the Pacific Northwest, SE Washington to be more precise; at least two, sometimes more, cougars are killed each year because they come down out of the hills where they don't belong. When it comes down to human safety versus that of the animals, especially ones as dangerously powerful as big cats, I'll side with the humans every time.

Originally posted by seagull
As you are undoubtably aware, this is, and has, happened everywhere man goes. It's unfortunate, yes...however, what do you expect those villiagers to do?

To alert a group that could safely relocate the animals to a place
far enough away from the village where the cats could survive.

Here in my area, the Pacific Northwest, SE Washington to be more precise; at least two, sometimes more, cougars are killed each year because they come down out of the hills where they don't belong. When it comes down to human safety versus that of the animals, especially ones as dangerously powerful as big cats, I'll side with the humans every time.

There are'nt any cougars west of the mountains, so I never hear about
Cougars, in fact it's almost like there an exotic species that lives far
away.
And, to be technical, it's the humans that are where they don't belong.

I do agree that if it's the last thing one can do, the human life should
be saved, but the animal should not be killed if there is another way.

[edit on 1/19/2007 by iori_komei]

When a large and dangerous cat is endangouring you or your family, you don't have a choice really...

I agree, if it can be done, relocating I mean, then by all means do so. All too often, however, the animal taken somewhere else to be relocated makes its way back. This happens with bears who have discovered the joys of garbage cans and landfills.