06 July,2015 11:17 AM IST | | A Correspondent
Following on the heels of recent visits by leopards that were caught on camera, experts visited Abhinav Nagar in Borivli (East) to hold an awareness session on what to do in case of an encounter with the big cat
Last month, a leopard had visited a residential colony in Borivli and the CCTV video clip of the incident went viral on social networking sites, raising citizens' concerns about leopard encounters.
More than 50 people attended the awareness session, where they were taught the dos and don'ts for a leopard encounter
In an effort to put these fears to rest, and to explain what the dos and don'ts are in such a scenario, experts held an awareness session for local residents in the Abhinav Nagar locality in Borivli (East) last evening.
Abhinav Nagar is situated on the periphery of SGNP, and leopard sightings are not uncommon in this area. June's video captured one taking a stroll in the society premises, (âLook who visited this Borivli colony', Sunday mid-day, June 21) while another video this month has another big cat watching a dog leopards oftentimes prey on the canines sleeping inside a bungalow.
On Sunday, a leopard rescue team from the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, along with members from the Mumbaikars for Sanjay Gandhi National Park (MfSGNP) group and other volunteers, visited locals in the area to discuss what to do in case of a leopard encounter. More than 50 people were present for the awareness session.
The residents were told to keep the area free of stray dogs, which make easy prey for leopards and, so, draw them to residential areas. Locals were also told to keep the locality well lit, and to ensure that children did not venture out alone at night.
Members from MfSGNP also cleared the myth that leopards were venturing into societies because they were falling short of food in the national park. The experts clarified that there was abundant food at SGNP.
