Urban development takes toll on leopard habitats

Aksheev Thakur

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New Delhi, February 11

Over 30 leopards have been sighted in urban areas of Delhi, Noida and Gurugram since 2019 and more than 10 leopards have died in road accidents on the Gurugram-Faridabad road since 2015.

Increasing urbanisation leading to fragmented forest areas is cited to be one of the major reasons behind the man-animal conflict.

Speaking to Delhi Tribune, Wildlife Conservator Anil Gandass said due to illegal mining activities in the Aravallis, the availability of prey and water for leopards has decreased in the forest areas.

Spotted in city areas

• In January-February 2022, leopard movement seen in the Trilanga area of Delhi
• On February 15, 2019, a leopard spotted in the Trilanga residential area
• In October 2018, a leopard sighted by residents in Swarn Jayanti Park
• Ten leopards have died in road accidents on the Gurugram-Faridabad road since 2015

“Leopards prey on dogs, which are found mostly near residential areas. After straying into the human habitat in search of food and water, they get lost and trapped. It is here that the conflict begins,” he said.

“The government should protect the Aravallis by having heavy security around the areas where the population of leopards is high. The mining activities should be stopped completely. Leopards are not man eaters so they never come into the city limits to attack humans. The conflict arises only after they feel threatened,” he added.

According to an estimate by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the leopard population in the country climbed from 7,910 in 2014 to 12,852 in 2022.

In the report, the NTCA also mentioned that the current distribution of leopards and numbers have significantly decreased due to habitat loss, prey depletion, conflict and poaching over the last century.

Over eight leopards are in Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary. In December 2023, a leopard escaped from the sanctuary and entered South Delhi’s Sainik Farms.

In the past 15 years, the Union government has approved the diversion of 103.79 hectares of forestland in Delhi for developmental projects, including building roads and laying transmission lines, under the Forest Conservation Act 1980. A total of 384.38 hectares of forestland within the Capital is presently occupied by encroachments.

Faiyaz Khudsar, a senior biologist at Yamuna Biodiversity Park, said natural ecosystems like forests need to be restored to sustain leopard population. “There are multiple cases of leopards being killed and harassed. Leopards have co-existed with humans for a long time now. They prey on dogs for survival. Natural forests are slowly depleting,” he said.

In North Delhi area, leopards have been sighted alongside the Yamuna where they get enough green cover to hide and prey for survival.