India, Nov. 15 -- A series of leopard sightings in Nitalas, a village barely 12 km from Panvel, has sparked concern among residents even as the forest department, on Thursday, began patrolling the area. The leopard and cub spotted in Nitalas may have come from the nearby Matheran hill range, forest officials said, while residents said construction activity in the hills may have pushed wildlife closer to human settlements.

While no leopard attacks on humans have been recorded in the area, sightings are neither new nor unexpected. In the past, leopards have been sighted in the Kharghar Hills, Morbe, and Vangani, all part of a wildlife corridor.

In Nitalas, a leopard and cub were first sighted in the outskirts of the village on Monday, res...