Leopard deaths at five-year high, over a third poached

Leopard deaths at five-year high, over a third poached

News

According to Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), India has recorded the highest leopard mortality in 2018

Important Facts

1. According to 2016 Census, there were 12000 to 14000 leopards in India
2. In 2018, 460 leopard deaths were recorded across India; a large section (34%) of which were posed and 16% died due to train or road accidents
3. The highest leopard mortality in 2018 was recorded in Uttarakhand (93), followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.

Major Reasons for rising leopard mortality:

1. Increasing Human-animal conflict due to fragmentation of habitats, forest degradation and development of infrastructure (rail, road projects)
2. Increased poaching for illegal wildlife trade- According to MoEFCC’s data, 260 leopards were poached between 2015 and 2018 (up to October)

Steps to be taken

1. It is important to intensify patrolling in and around protected areas to address leopard poaching and general mortalities.
2. To assess the causes of rising leopard deaths, there needs to be specialised investigation and development of a robust intelligence network.
3. Mitigation measures such as underpasses and overpasses should be effectively designed and implemented to address leopard deaths due to rail-road accidents.