The forest department in Uttar Pradesh's Budaun district has stepped up vigil after animal footprints, suspectedly of leopard or wolf, were reported in a few villages.

However, forest officials said the footprints belong to a canine species.

"The tracks found could be of a dog, jackal or another canine species. There is no evidence of a tiger (leopard) in the area, as the prints belong to the dog family," Forest Ranger Akanksha Gupta said.

Locals in Budaun claimed that the prints indicate the presence of a leopard or wolf, amid reports of leopard and wolf sightings in neighbouring Bahraich district.

The forest department received calls from Yaad Ram and Mahipal Singh of Nurpur village regarding the sighting of footprints, Gupta said.

Villagers of Nurpur, in the Kadarchaak region of Budaun, claimed that they saw the "paw prints" in their fields, causing widespread panic about a possible leopard sighting.

A team from the forest department went to inspect the area after they received information.

Ranger Gupta, along with her team, examined the footprints and collected samples for further analysis.

She urged the villagers to remain vigilant but emphasised that there is no need for alarm regarding leopards or wolves, as the prints indicate a dog or jackal instead.

Divisional Forest Officer Pradeep Verma also visited the area following the reports.

He said the footprints belong to the dog family and are likely of jackals, noting that the district does not have a wolf population.

"The forest department has deployed a team for surveillance and advised locals to avoid going out alone. They were instructed to report any sighting of wild animals immediately to the forest department," he added.

Meanwhile, four people, including three children, were injured in two leopard and two suspected jackle or dog attacks across different areas of the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary and Bahraich forest division, between Thursday evening and late night, officials said.

Thousands of residents in the 50 villages along the Ghaghra River floodplain in the Mahsi tehsil of Bahraich are living in fear of wolf attacks.

Since July 17, eight people, including seven children, have lost their lives to such attacks, while nearly three dozen others have been injured.

The forest department claims that five out of six man-eating wolves responsible for the attacks have been rescued, with only one remaining to be captured.

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