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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
- According to 2016 Census, there were 12000 to 14000 leopards in India
- 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
- 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:
- Increasing Human-animal conflict due to fragmentation of habitats, forest degradation and development of infrastructure (rail, road projects)
- 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
- It is important to intensify patrolling in and around protected areas to address leopard poaching and general mortalities.
- To assess the causes of rising leopard deaths, there needs to be specialised investigation and development of a robust intelligence network.
- Mitigation measures such as underpasses and overpasses should be effectively designed and implemented to address leopard deaths due to rail-road accidents.
