: Even as the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) issued guidelines to contain the man-leopard conflict on Monday, Maharashtra has lost at least 78 leopards in the past 14 months, with 7 in the past 15 days.
The latest leopard deaths (April 1-15) were reported from Sawli, Durgapur, Korambi Bhuj and Ashtabuja in Chandrapur district, Dhundi near Pusad in Yavatmal and two near Nashik.
Experts say everybody is concerned only about tigers but what about leopards that are dying at a more alarming rate. Both are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972 and have equal protection. In 2009, 48 leopards died in the state while in 2010-11, the number has risen to 76.
"The MoEF has 'Project Tiger' to protect tigers but it is high time 'Project Leopard' is launched to save leopards," felt a section of experts. Even the MoEF admits that the tiger is facing a crisis of extinction, elephant - a crisis of attrition, and leopard - crisis of adaptation.
Of the 76 leopard deaths between February 4, 2010 and April 15, 2011, 25 were reported from Vidarbha - mostly in north and south Chandrapur and Brahmapuri.
Of the total leopard deaths, only 30 died naturally. At least 25 deaths were accidental - due to drowning in wells or by vehicle hits. Eighteen leopards died due to poaching, including trapping by wire snares, electrocution and poisoning.
What's more shocking is that the forest officials filed only one poaching case in court (May 31, 2010 in Chandrapur division). Shockingly, the remaining cases are still under investigation (virtually dumped).
Expert and wildlife biologist Vidya Athreya says leopards live close to human habitations and therefore it is very important that local people are helped to reduce the problem of livestock predation by leopards.
"In the face of losses, retaliatory killings are known to occur not only in India but even elsewhere. Since it is also a people-wildlife issue, the way of tackling this has to involve the locals so that both, people and wildlife do not suffer," she told TOI.
Recently, a leopard was lynched by a furious mob near Chandrapur. As the conviction rate in the state is poor, there is no deterrence to people to kill leopards.
Conservationist Prafulla Bhamburkar feared with the current rate of expansion and growth of human population, conflicts with carnivores are becoming more and more unavoidable resulting in their deaths.
Athreya says leopards are highly adaptable species that live successfully in and around human-dominated agricultural landscapes. "The intensity of man-leopard conflict has reached serious proportions in the last few years," she adds.
One of the major reasons about leopard deaths was delayed compensation for cattle kills and poor prey base. "Delay in settling compensation leads to revenge killing," says Bandu Dhotre, president of Eco Pro, Chandrapur. Leopards are also being targeted for their skin and body parts, he added.
The latest leopard deaths (April 1-15) were reported from Sawli, Durgapur, Korambi Bhuj and Ashtabuja in Chandrapur district, Dhundi near Pusad in Yavatmal and two near Nashik.
Experts say everybody is concerned only about tigers but what about leopards that are dying at a more alarming rate. Both are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972 and have equal protection. In 2009, 48 leopards died in the state while in 2010-11, the number has risen to 76.
"The MoEF has 'Project Tiger' to protect tigers but it is high time 'Project Leopard' is launched to save leopards," felt a section of experts. Even the MoEF admits that the tiger is facing a crisis of extinction, elephant - a crisis of attrition, and leopard - crisis of adaptation.
Of the 76 leopard deaths between February 4, 2010 and April 15, 2011, 25 were reported from Vidarbha - mostly in north and south Chandrapur and Brahmapuri.
Of the total leopard deaths, only 30 died naturally. At least 25 deaths were accidental - due to drowning in wells or by vehicle hits. Eighteen leopards died due to poaching, including trapping by wire snares, electrocution and poisoning.
What's more shocking is that the forest officials filed only one poaching case in court (May 31, 2010 in Chandrapur division). Shockingly, the remaining cases are still under investigation (virtually dumped).
Expert and wildlife biologist Vidya Athreya says leopards live close to human habitations and therefore it is very important that local people are helped to reduce the problem of livestock predation by leopards.
"In the face of losses, retaliatory killings are known to occur not only in India but even elsewhere. Since it is also a people-wildlife issue, the way of tackling this has to involve the locals so that both, people and wildlife do not suffer," she told TOI.
Recently, a leopard was lynched by a furious mob near Chandrapur. As the conviction rate in the state is poor, there is no deterrence to people to kill leopards.
Conservationist Prafulla Bhamburkar feared with the current rate of expansion and growth of human population, conflicts with carnivores are becoming more and more unavoidable resulting in their deaths.
Athreya says leopards are highly adaptable species that live successfully in and around human-dominated agricultural landscapes. "The intensity of man-leopard conflict has reached serious proportions in the last few years," she adds.
One of the major reasons about leopard deaths was delayed compensation for cattle kills and poor prey base. "Delay in settling compensation leads to revenge killing," says Bandu Dhotre, president of Eco Pro, Chandrapur. Leopards are also being targeted for their skin and body parts, he added.
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