Leopard Crossing, Mysore — Mananthavadi Highway, Nagarahole

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A leopard tentatively crosses the Mysore – Mananthavadi highway in Nagarahole national park and tiger reserve in Karnataka. Based on the fact that this road passes through an extremely crucial habitat for elephants and tigers and number of tragic roadkills, conservationists filed an application to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court to close the road to nighttime traffic.

The CEC on 05-05-2008 concluded that no vehicular traffic be permitted between 6pm and 6am apart from other mitigation … Read More

Environment Ministry Guidelines advise against capture and relocation of leopards

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The Environment Ministry has issued guidelines to the States for dealing with man-leopard conflicts. The guidelines advise against the capture and relocation of leopards as their homing instinct will bring them back into the area again and cause more problems. These guidelines and others come from the experience in Maharashtra which has brought down the number of leopard encounters significantly in second half of the previous decade. According to Jairam Ramesh, “In India, tigers face a crisis of extinction, and … Read More

Guidelines for Human-Leopard conflict management

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Leopards are a highly adaptable species that live in and around many human- dominated, agricultural landscapes. It is a daunting challenge to ensure the peaceful coexistence of leopards among high densities of humans of the order of 200 or more to a sq.km. Research indicates that even in such high human density areas, attacks on humans and domestic animals in most cases can be kept to very low levels. The goodwill and trust of people especially in rural areas are … Read More

Tribute — Billy Arjan Singh (1917 – 2010)

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Prerna Bindra looks back on the life of a committed conservationist whose legacy in wildlife preservation continues to inspire.

‘HONORARY TIGER’ Padma Bhushan Billy Arjan Singh breathed his last on the first day of the Year of the Tiger’ – January 1, 2010. He will be remembered as a pioneer conservationist, and for his long and courageous battle for India’s wildlife. My abiding memory of Billy dates back to five winters ago. I was at Tiger Haven, his home at … Read More

Irate villagers burn alive captured leopard near Corbett Tiger Reserve

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300-400 irate villagers in Dhamdhar village in Kalagarh Forest Division, Corbett Tiger Reserve doused a captured leopard with petrol and burnt it to alive. Apparently, there were 35 wildlife officials and 4 policemen, but they were overpowered by the mob and could not prevent the act. The leopard was alleged to be responsible for three deaths, but according to Chief Wildlife Conservator of Uttarakhand, S. K. Chandola, the leopard had strayed from Corbett National Park and attacked three people causing … Read More

Panther caught in snare freed in Anamalai Tiger Reserve

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A panther caught in a snare made out of brake and clutch cables near Sholayar Dam in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, was freed by forest officials. The panther was found hanging with one of its legs caught in the snare which was tied to an immovable object. The animal was tranquilised and freed from the snare. In its attempts to free itself, the panther had suffered leg injuries. The injuries were treated and the panther released into the forest on … Read More

Nine arrested near Coimbatore for possession of skins of a Tiger and five Leopards

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An undercover officer from the Forest Department was shown the skins of a Tiger and five leopards (including a black panther) in Pollachi, by a man named Jailani who demanded five crores. The officer was from a team of plainclothes Forest department officials, who were acting on a tip off. After the skin traders ultimately agreed to sell all the skins for a sum of one crore, the officer told them he had to consult with his friends, after which … Read More

Enhanced protection for Tigers leaves Leopards vulnerable to Poaching

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Poachers have shifted their attention to leopards, now that tigers are being protected with zeal. Leopard body parts are sold as tiger body parts. Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are said to be the epicentre of this trade. Conservationists allege that for every tiger there are 10 leopards being poached. Leopards live on the fringes of the forests and are more vulnerable to poaching. There is a call for an accurate leopard census by the government.… Read More

Man held near Ranthambore while trying to sell panther skin

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The Karauli police have recovered a panther skin and arrested a villager who wanted to sell it. The police are trying to find out how the accused got it but are not ruling out the possibility of poaching.

On a tip-off by NGO Tiger Watch, the Baran police arrested Hari Gujjar, a resident of Nibhera village near Keladevi Sanctuary.… Read More

Leopard Poachers Convicted to Six Years Imprisonment

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Katni, Madhya Pradesh: Shri A.A. Ansari, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Katni, today sentenced two poachers, Ittu Baiga, Bahilal Baiga to rigorous imprisonment of six years and a fine of Rs. 10,000 each under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The third accused Iqbal (alias Atiq Ahmed), is still absconding and his trial is still pending.

On 25 June, 2009, the three poachers had poisoned a water-hole in the Dhimarkheda range of Katni division with an organo-phosphate pesticide (phosphamidan) which led to … Read More

Three leopard skins seized in Himachal Pradesh

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With the assistance of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), the HP police succeeded in seizing three leopard hides, including one of a cub, from three accused with each possessing a leopard hide from tehsil Sangrah of district Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh.

One of the accused, Mahindra Singh from village Kajwan of the area, is a Government school headmaster.… Read More

Leopard skins and Himalayan Black Bear gall bladder seized in Uttarakhand

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New Delhi: The Anti-Poaching cell of the Uttarakhand Forest Department, assisted by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), seized 2 leopard skins, 1 leopard cat skin and 1 Himalayan black bear gall bladder from Chakrata in Dehradun district, Uttarakhand, last night.

In the late night operation, the Anti-Poaching cell led by Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Mr. Paramjit Singh, arrested two local persons in connection with this seizure. A case under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 has been registering … Read More

130 Leopards Poached in India this year (as of Sept 2010)

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Watching a leopard amble along a sun-beaten track at dusk is a captivating sight. But now these big cats are in danger in India. At least 130 leopards have been poached this year so far, say experts describing the figures as “alarming”. 

Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra recorded the highest number of leopard deaths, stated the NGO Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI).

There have been reports of 240 leopard deaths so far.

Across the country, 17 leopards were killed

… Read More

Living with Leopards in Mumbai

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Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) is said to be the lungs of Mumbai and provides the bustling metropolis with clean drinking water among other ecosystem services. Biologically rich, SGNP is often in the news as the site of conflict between people and wildlife, mainly leopards. The forest department of SGNP has taken a proactive step to help manage the park better, mitigate conflicts and engage with the interested citizens of Mumbai.

The Forest department has launched a project called ‘Mumbaikars … Read More