Gujarat Forest Department Mulls Over Sterilization of Leopards in Gir

AHMEDABAD: In a bid to check their growing population and to address the human-wildlife conflict, the forest department of Gujarat has forwarded a proposal for sterilization of leopards, mainly in and around Gir National Park.

The move is being mulled over as human- wildlife conflict has led to five people being killed over the last few months.

A forest official in the know about the matter, informed that the department is aiming to sterilise male leopards that have come in conflict with humans. He however preferred to remain anonymous. The officer added that the idea was proposed earlier as well but the Union government did not approve it then.

Leopards that attack humans are captured and usually sent for the rest of their lives to a zoo in Junagadh, it was said.

The sterilisation idea was welcomed by National Board for Wildlife member H S Singh, who said, “The leopard population has reached about 22,000 across the country. There are proposals from states about reducing the leopard-human conflict. About 125-130 people die every year due to leopard attacks.”

He stated that the leopard population in Gujarat has reached around 2,000.

“In certain sites, where the population of leopards is 25 to 30 per 100 square km, their population should be contained. So, instead of killing them, they should be sterilised. It is a good move,” said Singh. He, however, opined that Gujarat’s proposal is yet to be received by the board.

A K Sharma, a retired forester, said farm labourers and villagers being the target of attacks and killings by leopards have become frequent and “sterilisation is the right move,” while adding, “The [forest] department cannot keep capturing these animals. The leopard is a very stealthy animal. The management has to change its approach.”

International Union for Conservation of Nature member Nishith Dharaiya insisted that awareness should be raised to avoid conflict with wild cats instead of sterilisation. He explained that most of these attacks happened when people are sleeping in the open or children and old people are left unattended in the fields.

Dharaiya said they had earlier carried out an awareness programme in Gujarat about sloth bears in conflict zones. “As a result, we believe the attacks have gone down in these areas,” said Dharaiya, a researcher of lions and leopards in Gir.

He said leopards from conflict areas should be translocated to other parts of Gujarat and that sterilisation is the last option as nowhere in the country has such a step been taken for big cats.

Half of the around 2,000 leopards in Gujarat are in Gir and the state government has also launched an awareness drive in the region to warn people from venturing into forests or leaving children alone in the open.

A wildlife researcher at Gir, Jalpan Rupapara, said over 95% of leopards do not threaten humans and or see them as their prey. They are also said to play a role in controlling boars, stray dogs, blue bull and feral cattle. Terming a very small percentage to be problematic, he advocated that their prompt identification and earliest elimination from the wild as being key to reducing human-leopard conflicts.

Meanwhile, wildlife expert Chaitanya Joshi called for a census of leopards in a scientific manner before taking up measures to curb their population.

Also Read: Wrestlers' Protest: WFI Chief Accused of Groping, Intimidating and Stalking the Girls

Also Watch: