Archive · 18 Jan 2026
Leopard Attacks Rise in Maharashtra Due to Sugarcane Farming
In a place called Junnar in Maharashtra, India, there are a lot of leopards.
These leopards live in sugarcane fields, which are tall and give them a good place to hide and raise their babies.
The leopards also eat animals like goats, dogs, and even people sometimes.
This is a big problem because many people have been hurt or killed by leopards.
The government is trying to fix this by moving leopards to other places, putting up fences, and using special cameras to watch for leopards.
But the problem is still very serious, and people are scared to go outside, especially at night.
Some people even lock their children inside all day to keep them safe.
The government is also thinking about giving leopards special shots to stop them from having babies, but this is still being tested.
The main reason for all this trouble is that the sugarcane fields make it easy for leopards to live close to people.
Leopard attacks in Junnar, Maharashtra, have increased due to high leopard population and sugarcane farming.
Sugarcane fields provide ideal habitats for leopards, leading to more human-leopard conflicts.
Between 2002 and 2023, 56 people have been killed and 156 injured by leopards in Junnar.
The government is implementing various measures, including translocation, fencing, and using technology to monitor leopards.
Experts suggest long-term solutions like changing cropping patterns and reducing vulnerability of livestock to predators.
- Who
- Residents of Junnar, Maharashtra, including farmers and their families
- What
- Increased leopard attacks due to high leopard population and sugarcane farming
- When
- Ongoing issue, with significant incidents reported between 2002 and 2023
- Where
- Junnar taluka, Pune district, Maharashtra, India
- Why
- Sugarcane farming has created ideal habitats for leopards, leading to increased human-leopard conflicts
- Location
- Junnar, Maharashtra, India
- Leopard Population
- 800-1,000 (estimated)
- Human Deaths (2002-2023)
- 56
- Injuries (2002-2023)
- 156
- Cattle Killed (2002-2023)
- 26,979
- Compensation Paid
- Rs 26.62 lakh
- Sugarcane Cultivation Area (2000-2010)
- Doubled from 8,000 to 16,000 hectares
- Leopard Density
- 6-7 per 100 sq km