BENGALURU: Two leopards have died in road kills recently on National Highway-948, on the outskirts of Bengaluru. This road that traverses from Kanakapura to Dindigul (Tamil Nadu) has become a virtual death trap for leopards when they cross the road in Sathnur Range. This range in Ramanagaram territorial division has a healthy population of leopards, elephants and sloth bears.
The state forest department has intimated to the authorities concerned to take necessary action for mitigation measures on this highway. This national highway traversing Kanakapura-Sathanur-Malavalli-Kollegal has seen frequent road kills of varied wildlife species. On January 3 at 6.30 pm, a six-year-old leopard was knocked down by a speeding car on this highway, while on December 17, another leopard died just 100 metres away on the same stretch.
Both the road kills happened near Thotahalli Gate, Sathanur range, Kanakapura taluk, Ramanagaram territorial division. Prashanth H M, former honorary wildlife warden of Ramanagaram district, said, “This 3km stretch has become a death trap for crossing leopards. The authorities have to take immediate mitigation measures. There is a need for installing signboards and speed breakers to check speeding vehicles and educate people about wildlife crossings.
Further, action should be taken against vehicles causing road kills in an area that is a pristine habitat for leopards and sloth bears.” Speaking to TNIE, PCCF (Wildlife) Ajay Mishra said, “Action has already been initiated on this issue in the aftermath of the second road kill. I have asked both Bengaluru and Ramanagaram district forest authorities to inform the PWD and other authorities to install speed breakers on NH-948 as also put signages on this stretch so as to prevent any further kills on this road.”
Home to leopards, bears and elephants and prey population, Sathanur Range comprises scrub and deciduous forests and it is an undulating terrain. This stretch of 104 sq km from Ramdevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary to Sathnur and Malavalli is a bear country with a good elephant and leopard population. Activists have been making efforts for declaration of this area as a protected area.
Leopard skin seized
Bengaluru: Karnataka Forest Department officials of the Bengaluru division, arrested two people and seized a leopard skin on Thursday morning on National Highway-4. The duo, Palaksha Rangappa M R of Madenahalli and Basavaraju P M, of Tiptur, were booked under Wildlife Protection Act 1972.