Hyderabad: Four districts of Andhra Pradesh have reported incidents of cattle killing, attacks on humans by leopards. Pug marks have also been spotted and people have reported leopards being sighted.

With the wild cat on the prowl, Chittoor, Kurnool, Anantapur and Nellore districts are now facing a leopard and human conflict.

Loss of habitation and human interference in forests, including the movement of red sanders smugglers and police combing parties, are possible reasons that may have disturbed leopards.

In Tirupati, a leopard was spotted on the Sri Venkateswara Vedic University Campus and the Balaji Institute of Surgery, Research and Rehabilitation for the Disabled hospital last week.

In Anantapur, a leopard killed two sheep in Rajeswari Colony in Penukonda. Singanamala, Uravakonda, Raidurg and Penukonda have reported leopard sightings.

Wild life activist Devidas Mangnani said, “Human habitations are expanding and destroying the buffer zone and and the core wild habitat. Animals are forced out resulting in conflict with humans.”