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Rajasthan minister directs leopard census to check human-wildlife conflict
Eight people were killed in leopard attacks over a 35-kilometer radius in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district last year amid growing leopard population and human-wildlife conflict
Rajasthan forest minister Sanjay Sharma has directed a leopard census outside tiger reserves using the camera trap method in other protected areas amid a growing leopard population and human-wildlife conflict, officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday.
An official said the rising number of leopards has significantly contributed to human-wildlife conflict. Eight people were killed in leopard attacks over a 35-kilometre radius in the Udaipur district last year. The forest department declared the animal a “man-eater” on October 1.
“To address the issue effectively, it is crucial to have an estimate of the leopard population. This will serve as the first step toward finding a solution,” said the official.
Officials said chief wildlife warden Pawan Kumar Upadhyay instructed all divisional officers and staff to carry out the census following Sharma’s directives. The forest department will seek advise and collaboration from experts and specialised institutions to conduct the exercise.
Sharma’s directive aims to address the issue by managing the conflict and ensuring the safety of both humans and wildlife.
A second official said an increase in the leopard population across India has increased human-animal conflicts. “We raised the issue with the National Wildlife Board seeking their guidance to handle the situation. In many cases, the attacks were fatal.”
According to a water-hole census, there were 925 leopards in Rajasthan compared to 818 in 2022, 775 in 2020, 637 in 2019, 635 in 2018, and 507 in 2017.
According to the Status of Leopards in India-2022 report there were 167 leopards recorded in Sariska Tiger Reserve, 87 in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, 49 in Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, and 19 in Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve.
