Assam's First Leopard Census Starts in North Guwahati

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The leopard census began in North Guwahati. It is the first of its kind in the state. The purpose is to ascertain the leopard population and identify human-leopard conflict zones. The North Kamrup Forest Division took the initiative on behalf of the State Forest Department.

Talking to The Sentinel, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) MK Yadava said, "We have started the phase I of the leopard census from North Guwahati. Next on the list is Guwahati. The purpose of this census is to ascertain leopard population, besides identifying the human-leopard conflict zones."

Meanwhile, the camera installation work started in various forest and non-forest areas like Amingaon, Sila and Changsari in North Guwahati yesterday. North Kamrup DFO Sunnydeo Choudhury is taking the lead with help from Wildlife Biologist Kamal Azad. Dr Azad had working experience with the National Tiger Conservation Authority.

How is the leopard census done?

Talking to The Sentinel, DFO Sunnydeo Choudhury said, "Urbanization is very fast in Assam. Along with urbanization, we need to protect wildlife. We are creating baseline data of leopards. Such data will help us to know the leopard population and human-leopard conflict zones better. We expect to complete the census in two months. The installation of fifty cameras will take a week. It will help us formulate policy matters on wildlife."

Leopard population in India 2020

The report Status of Leopards, Co-predators and Megaherbivores in India, 2018, by the Wildlife Institute of India, released in New Delhi reveals that there are 12,852 leopards spread across the tiger reserves. The population estimation of leopards was done using camera traps.

Meanwhile, Karnataka now has the second-highest leopard population in the country. With 1,783 the smaller of the big cats in the wild, the State is followed by Maharashtra with 1,690 leopards. Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of these spotted cats at 3,421.

Camera traps deployed at 26,838 locations across India resulted in 34,858,623 photographs of the wildlife of which 51,777 were of leopards

Also Read:   Leopard Census Begins At Sila Forest Range Of Assam

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