(IN): Leopards pushed to the edge of survival

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http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=apr0709/State15

*Leopards pushed to the edge of survival

*Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, April 6 – The days of leopard in the wilderness of Assam could be

numbered. A just-concluded survey has revealed that in the last three years

44 leopard deaths were reported from ten districts of Assam, including the

Chief Minister’s home district of Jorhat.

 

In fact the findings have pinpointed Jorhat as the district that registered

the highest number of leopard deaths in recent times. Last year alone, 13

animals were killed due to anthropogenic factors in parts of the district.

 

Sivasagar, Golaghat, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh are some other districts where

significant number of deaths have been documented in the last few years. In

2008, six leopards were killed in Sivasagar, four in Golaghat, three in

Tinsukia. A total of 29 animals were killed across the State that year.

 

Although many leopards were exterminated as a result of conflict with human

beings, few human lives were lost to the animal. In 2008 when the leopard

body count was 29, not a single human life was lost.

 

The project carried out by conservation group Aaranyak – Assam Leopard

Conservation Facility – has established that the trend of leopard deaths is

very significant. In the last couple of years the number of killings has

actually shot up several times. In 2006 only three leopards were reported

killed in Assam.

 

According to Dharani Saika of Aaranyak, the project officer, the leopards

had to die due to a number of causes. “Several animals were killed by armed

mobs, while others were killed by poisoning, or poached. The human hand in

their death cannot be ignored,” he remarked.

 

Tracing the root of the problem to rampant destruction of natural habitat,

decreasing prey-base, lack of awareness, and rise in the demand for body

parts, he said that unless these issues were addressed leopards would

continue to be targeted.

 

Many of the leopard deaths occurred after the animals had come out of

forests into areas of human settlements. This indicated that the natural

habitat was unable to sustain them as in the past. Fringe and buffer zones

of Protected Areas have witnessed intrusion of human beings, while many

reserve forests have been degraded or encroached upon by illegal

settlements.

 

The project studied 312 Reserve Forests stretching 13,870 sq km, proposed

Reserve Forests covering 3,103 sq km. Also within its purview was 3,925 sq

km of Protected Areas like Kaziranga, Manas and Orang. Now for the first

time, there is a comprehensive database about leopards, their density and

threats facing the species across Assam.

 

Saikia revealed that the project included evidence from pugmarks, kill,

sighting, and attack on human beings. Apart from cameras and GPS, the survey

also made use of GIS techniques.

 

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