Rudrapur, Dec. 30 -- The Almora district administration has warned the local residents against strolling at night, especially in the market area and colonies, after an increase in leopard sightings and movement in the human settlements in the district, officials familiar with the matter said on Monday. "Leopards' frequent movements are being recorded in CCTV cameras installed in the market and colonies of Almora these days. Big cats are entering populated areas at night in search of easy prey. Our staff is making aware and requesting people not to come out on roads unnecessarily at night to avoid any untoward incidents," said Pradeep Dhaulakhandi, divisional forest officer (DFO), civil soyam forest division in Almora. Almora district is facing challenges from wild animals especially from leopards like any other district in hill areas of the state. Leopards not only are attacking humans but also killing livestock in the villages. Villagers are demanding cages to be installed to trap these big cats. Attacks on humans and causing loss to the livestock in villages by the leopards creating resentment against the forest department as well as the state government. A male leopard was caught in a cage in Mahat village under Someshwar tehsil in Almora on Sunday. Forest department have installed cages in several villages and patrolling of the staff beefed up to avoid man and animal conflicts. Forest teams are patrolling and making aware of the villagers in Jageshwar, Winsor, Someshwar, Lamgarha, Kanarichhina and other places of the district, said officials. Now, leopards are posing challenges in the Almora market also by their frequent movements. Leopards have been caught in CCTV cameras in police lines, Ranidhara, Khatyari, base hospital, Pandekhola, Karnatak khola, Talla Joshikhola, Dharanaula and other colonies. They used to enter earlier also but their movement in the market and colonies have spiked. Dhaulakhandi said, "Our teams are patrolling and making awareness in rural areas not to come out especially during dawn and dusk as the leopards come nearer villages in search of easy prey. Now, we are facing a new challenge in Almora market and its colonies at night." A Congress party workers' delegation met the DFO on Saturday to raise the issue of an increased sightings of leopards and movements in the market and colonies and demanded to get them rid of leopards' terror. They demanded installation of camera traps and cages at identified locations. Also regular patrolling to avoid man and animal conflicts....