02 June,2014 09:23 PM IST | | Ranjeet Jadhav
Video of leopard's leisurely walk in Mumbai's Aarey Milk Colony shows that leopards don't attack humans without provocation
Even as a leopard's regular visit to forested hillock in Mumbai's Powai area has raised safety concerns among locals, mid-day has a video that proves that leopards don't attack humans unless provoked.
The video, shot last year by two researchers -- Vishal Shah and Rajesh Sanap, shows a leopard taking a stroll in Aarey Milk Colony. The leopard was also seen crossing the road. Many experts believe that these close encounters between humans and leopards without untoward incidents happening should clear the misconception from people's mind that leopards attack on seeing humans.
A screenshot of the leopard taking a stroll in Aarey Milk Colony.
The two researchers who were in Aarey Milk Colony doing their regular birding excursion. Of course, the duo shot the video from a safe distance, but the nonchalance of the leopard despite human presence is significant.
Interestingly, people working at Supreme Business Park in Powai have sighted a leopard coming on a daily basis at around 4.30 pm to a forested patch approximately 200 meters away from the business park. The employees have been seen the leopard arrive at around 4.30 pm in the evening, climb a tree and rest on it till 6-6.30 pm before climbing down. While some of the employees working at the business park are happy with the sightings, there are some who have expressed concern over their safety.
One of the employee requesting anonymity said, "We were first very much happy to see the leopard because it's not causing any problem to us. But there is a section of people who are not happy with the leopard sighting and have expressed fear that it might attack them, which I personally feel is a inaccurate assumption. There are even some offices that have contacted the Forest Department and have demanded that a cage be set to trap this animal."
