DEHRADUN: Listing 'very high human-leopard conflict' as main conservation issue in Shivalik Hills of Uttarakhand, leopard status report of India released on Monday ranked Uttarakhand sixth in terms of the animal's population in the country.
As per ‘Status of Leopards in India 2018’, released by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India's leopard population in 2018 was estimated at 12,852, with maximum big cats being found in Madhya Pradesh at 3,421, followed by Karnataka at 1,783, Maharashtra 1,690, Tamil Nadu 868, Chattisgarh 852 and Uttarakhand 839.
Pointing out that 'intense conflicts' are mostly reported from hills of Shivalik-Terai landscape and parts of Central India, the report states, "We are at that juncture where socio-economic development and conservation are at a critical point. It is now important, more than ever, to incorporate and implement a model of adaptive management of Protected Areas which are still in poor condition and can be improved, and explore possible models for coexistence of large carnivores with humans."
According to the data from Uttarakhand state forest department, total 75 leopards have been declared dangerous to human life (or declared as man-eaters) this year till August. 55 leopards were declared dangerous in 2019.
According to the 40-page report released by the Union Minister for Forest and Environment Prakash Javedkar, the survey was done by dividing the country into four regions- Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains Landscape, Central Indian Landscape and Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats Landscape and North East Hills and Brahmaputra Plains Landscape.
Uttarakhand falls into Shivalik Hills where assessment was limited to an altitude of 2,600 meters.
Adding that the species have been able to survive better in an increasingly human dominated landscape due to its 'adaptable behaviour', the report asserted that leopard habitats are being increasingly fragmented, and such small fragmented areas with low wild prey densities cannot harbour a sizable population of leopards which has resulted in leopards venturing out into human-dominated landscapes and ending up in conflicts.
Describing the leopards as 'persecuted historically' the report further pointed out that developmental projects need appropriate mitigation measures and greener technology to sustain not only leopards, but also other carnivores and biodiversity in general.
Leopards were reported from the higher reaches of Himalayas in Nainital and Champawat, which were sampled during the All India Tiger Estimation 2018.
During all India tiger estimation 2018, leopard population was also estimated within the forested habitats in tiger occupied states which is the basis of this report.
Camera traps were placed at 26,838 locations spread across 141 sites through which a total of 5,240 adult individual leopards were photo-captured.
Out of a total 10,602 surveyed grids in India, leopard presence was recorded for 3,475 grids.