Guwahati, March 13 -- On March 5, the Divisional Forest Officer of Dibrugarh in Assam, issued a public advisory following leopard sightings within the city, highlighting the escalating human-wildlife conflict. Dibrugarh's proximity to tea estates and diminishing forest cover, as evidenced by Assam's loss of 83.92 sq km of forest between 2021 and 2023, drives leopards into urban areas. This trend, exacerbated by deforestation and unplanned urbanization, mirrors wider regional losses, with Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland experiencing significant declines.

Leopards, including the Common Indian Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Black Leopard, and Snow Leopard (found exclusively in Arunachal's higher altitudes), face increasing threats. Whil...