Panthers and Hyenas visit 'ancestral home' at Madhapur Hitech City

By U Sudhakar Reddy
Pushed out of the jungles on the outskirts of the city decades ago, wild animals like panthers and hyenas are now reclaiming their “ancestral” homes in search of breathing space and foodTuesday’s sighting of two felines, believed to be panthers, at Puppalaguda near Gatchibowli here is said to be part of the process of revisiting areas where their ancestors roamed freelyAccording to forest officials, areas on the outskirts of the city like Madhapur, Nagole and Vanasthalipuram were once shrubs and bushes. With the spurt in realty business in neighbouring Ranga Reddy districts, wild animals lost their natural habit and the source of foo. This pushed them to residential localities in search of newer habitatsResidents of Puppalaguda have been spending sleepless night for the past three days after they spotted leopard and hyenas in their locality. Forest officials said these areas were once the habitats of the wild animalsThe forest department’s anti-poaching squad incharge, Mr M. Raja Ramana Reddy, said, “we have taken the pug marks from these areas. We have to confirm whether those are the pugmarks of panther or striped hyena. Some people also saw a panther recently in Nagole. Madhapur is the best example of the destruction of wildlife ecosystem.” For the past three days, labourers who stay near stone crushing quarries in Puppalaguda, have been spotting the panther“The panthers or hyenas may have come to this locality to prey upon street dogs,” said Mr Reddy“We are under constant fear that they may attack us,” said a labourer.