Leopard scare at FRI

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 12

In the wake of leopards venturing into the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, the institute has decided to put restrictions on morning and evening walkers who come to the sprawling campus in large numbers everyday.

Reported presence of leopards on the campus has shown a rising trend with the onset of winter season this year. The sylvan surroundings of FRI with high diversity of trees and bushes provide a suitable habitat for proliferation of herbivores like wild boar, porcupine, hare and pheasants. Apart from availability of food and water, the FRI campus provides environment for survival and breeding of leopards. This has often led to man-leopard conflict. Recently, a boy was injured in a leopard attack on the campus.

Taking into account the leopard sightings inside the FRI campus in the past few days, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education Dr Ashwani Kumar has called for remedial measures to avoid man-leopard conflict on the campus.

At a meeting yesterday that was presided over by the DG, it was decided to put restrictions on morning and evening walkers who come to the FRI campus in big numbers. Wildlife experts present were of the the opinion that leopards were in active movement, particularly during evening and morning hours and thus, walkers could be vulnerable to them. Those present at the meeting decided on restrictions on morning and evening walkers from 4 am to 6 am and from 6 pm to 8 pm.

The ICFRE DG issued directions for clearance of undergrowth along roadsides on the campus. Provision of streetlighting in residential areas has also been ordered. Further, setting up of camera traps for monitoring of leopard movement and positioning of two cages was discussed.

The meeting decided on coming up with a proposal on construction of a boundary wall on the FRI campus with barbed wire fencing, floodlighting of all residential areas and logging of trees and clearance of undergrowth. It was decided that the proposal would be prepared and submitted to Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, New Delhi for allocation of funds. It was decided that all residents of FRI and visitors to the campus should exercise necessary restraint and precautions at all times, more so after sunset and with children around.

Senior scientist with the Wildlife Institute of India Dr SP Goel, FRI Director Dr PP Bhojvaid, Silviculture Division Head Kunal Satyarthi and Dehradun Divisional Forest Officer Sushant Pattnaik were among those who attended the meeting.