First leopard census outside protected areas soon in UP
TNN | Feb 7, 2019, 01:40 IST
An adult leopard had strayed into a Greater Noida village in JanuaryNOIDA: With at least three incidents of leopards straying into human settlement being reported from western UP in the past six months, the Uttar Pradesh Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (UPWCCB) has proposed the wildlife and forest department to conduct the first census of the big cats that inhabit the vast sugarcane fields of the state.
Officials said the human-leopard conflict indicates that population of the big cats which wander from protected areas into sugarcane fields and grasslands is probably on the rise.
There has been no such census of leopards till date. However, there are an estimated 200 leopards living in the state’s protected areas, said officials.
“Leopards roam inside sugarcane fields of the state and even breed there because of availability of preys such as pigs. The big cats often leave the sugarcane fields and enter human habitat, and either end up attacking people or getting killed,” HV Girish, conservator, UPWCCB, told TOI.
“While the number of leopards in reserved forests are monitored, we do not have any account of such leopards which inhabit the sugarcane fields of the state, and a census of the same is necessary. The state wildlife and forest department has to act immediately,” he added.
In fact, the latest leopard sighting was reported from Greater Noida last month. The adult leopard had strayed into a Greater Noida village and attacked at least one resident before being finally rescued by a team of forest department officials and experts from the Delhi zoo.
According to Girish, there is also a need for better training of forest department personnel for handling the big cats once they are visible in close proximity to human settlements.
“If the number of big cats are rising in urban areas, we will also have to train our officers properly to deal with human-animal conflict as they could also be on the rise. Action should be taken on a priority basis to take stock of the stray leopards of UP and specifically those of western UP,” he added.
Officials said the human-leopard conflict indicates that population of the big cats which wander from protected areas into sugarcane fields and grasslands is probably on the rise.
There has been no such census of leopards till date. However, there are an estimated 200 leopards living in the state’s protected areas, said officials.
“Leopards roam inside sugarcane fields of the state and even breed there because of availability of preys such as pigs. The big cats often leave the sugarcane fields and enter human habitat, and either end up attacking people or getting killed,” HV Girish, conservator, UPWCCB, told TOI.
“While the number of leopards in reserved forests are monitored, we do not have any account of such leopards which inhabit the sugarcane fields of the state, and a census of the same is necessary. The state wildlife and forest department has to act immediately,” he added.
In fact, the latest leopard sighting was reported from Greater Noida last month. The adult leopard had strayed into a Greater Noida village and attacked at least one resident before being finally rescued by a team of forest department officials and experts from the Delhi zoo.
According to Girish, there is also a need for better training of forest department personnel for handling the big cats once they are visible in close proximity to human settlements.
“If the number of big cats are rising in urban areas, we will also have to train our officers properly to deal with human-animal conflict as they could also be on the rise. Action should be taken on a priority basis to take stock of the stray leopards of UP and specifically those of western UP,” he added.
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