India, Nov. 15 -- How does one identify a "man-eating" leopard? Aren't the leopards too victims in the leopard-human conflict playing out in parts of Maharashtra and elsewhere?

As forest cover shrinks, forcing the big cats into human habitation, a series of leopard attacks has triggered panic in rural areas from Pune to Kolhapur. Maharashtra chief wildlife warden M Sreenivas Reddy says rapid leopard rescue squads are being set up to trap and take away the cats.

In an interview to Hindustan Times, Reddy, who is also principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), said a sterilisation plan for leopards straying into sugarcane fields is also on the cards. Excerpts :

Why is there an escalation in attacks by leopards on humans in parts o...