Suspected leopard attack leaves 16 sheep dead, 17 injured in Budgam

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Srinagar: As many as 16 sheep were killed and 17 others injured in a suspected leopard attack on a flock in J&K’s Budgam district early on Thursday.

The flock was attacked in the Chadoora area of Budgam during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

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The owner of the flock, Imtiyaz Ahmad Chopan, told reporters that a leopard had attacked his sheep, though the animal’s identity is yet to be confirmed.

He said the animal entered the livestock enclosure in Badipora village of Chadoora during the night and attacked the flock.

“We depend on livestock for our livelihood, and the incident has caused significant financial losses for us,” he said.

The flock owner appealed to the government and departments concerned to provide immediate assistance and compensation for the loss of livestock.

Meanwhile, locals also urged the Wildlife Department to inspect the site and take necessary measures to prevent further attacks in the area.

Wild predators such as Asiatic black bears and leopards frequently enter human settlements in Jammu and Kashmir due to severe habitat loss, climate change and dwindling food sources in the wild.

Between 2020 and mid-2025, Jammu and Kashmir recorded over 17,200 human-wildlife conflict incidents, resulting in more than 100 deaths and nearly 1,100 injuries. Asiatic black bears and leopards cause the majority of attacks, straying into villages, agricultural fields and apple orchards.

The chief reasons for human-animal conflict in J&K are unplanned development, deforestation and the conversion of buffer zones into residential areas or orchards, which shrink natural spaces.

Open garbage dumps, livestock and abundant fruit in orchards near forest fringes attract predators repeatedly.

Irregular weather and shifting snowfall patterns reduce natural forage and water availability at higher elevations, forcing animals down into human habitations.