Leopard pugmarks spotted at Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary

Dushyant Singh Pundir
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 10

Leopard pugmarks were spotted at the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary while carrying out the second wildlife census at the reserve forests.

Debendra Dalai, Chief Conservator of the forest-cum-Chief Wildlife Warden, UT, said the Department of Forest and Wildlife, conducted the survey at the sanctuary. During the exercise, a good number of direct sighting of wild animals were recorded. Besides, indirect evidence such as pugmarks of leopards and other animals were also found, he added.

The survey, which was started on May 5, ended today.

Dalai said the data would be sent to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, for further analysis. The six-day detailed survey included a survey using the line transect method, sign survey and point count survey.

“Besides the detailed survey at the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, a survey was also conducted to evaluate the species richness in other forest areas,” he said.

On the request of the UT Forest Department, the WII, Dehradun, had agreed to provide necessary technical assistance to conduct the exercise and on April 22, a team of scientists from the WII had visited Chandigarh and conducted training and hand-holding of the staff of the department, he added.

Nearly a fortnight ago, a leopard was caught in a camera trap installed near a water body in Kansal forests. The trap had been laid by the WII, Dehradun, as part of the wildlife census to be carried out by the UT Forest Department.

Last year in March, a leopard had strayed into Sector 5 during the lockdown. It was caught and released in the wildlife sanctuary at Morni Hills in Panchkula.

The first wildlife census was carried out in the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary, spread over an area of 26 sq km in the catchment area of the Sukhna Lake, in 2010.

Dalai said the second census could not be carried out in March/April last year due to the spread of Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent imposition of the lockdown in the country.

Being season specific, the second wildlife census could not be carried out in 2020 as the best period to spot the animals had passed due to the lockdown, said Dalai.

According to the first census report prepared by the WII, the population of sambar in the sanctuary was between 1,000 and 1,200 and the peafowl population was between 900 and 1,100.

The main animals spotted at the sanctuary include sambar, chital, pangolin (anteater), wild boar, jackal, small Indian civet, jungle cat, porcupine, Hanuman langur, rhesus monkey, Indian hare, common mongoose and three-striped palm squirrel.