Wildlife Dept ropes in youth to reduce human-leopard conflict

The Punjab Wildlife Department has started training the youth living in villages on the foothills of Shivalik Hills to reduce human-leopard conflict.

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The move comes as around two dozen such incidents have been reported in the past a couple of years, resulting in either leopards getting badly injured in attacks by panic-stricken people or livestock falling prey to leopards.

Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Satender Sagar said leopards often strayed into Punjab as they were unable to find prey due to decreasing forest cover in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.

“They also enter the state during harsh winters. Therefore, the support of villagers is a must,” he added. According to officials, a batch of 24 youngsters has already started undergoing training. They belong to Hoshiarpur, Ropar, Mohali and Fatehgarh Sahib districts.

Initially, they would be provided training at their villages and later at the Chattbir zoo in Mohali.

A senior official said they would be taught how to identify pugmarks of leopards and recognise different sounds made by animals on spotting the predator.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Head of Forest Force Dharminder Sharma said the youngsters, including women, would work as leopard spotters under the programme.

Aimed at conservation of animal, says official

“We will provide them basic training and equipment so that the department could get timely information,” he said.

Sharma said their aim was leopard conservation. “We do not want people to panic and hurt animals,” he said. Sharma said initially, people did not volunteer for the initiative. “But after initial reservations, some people have shown interest in undergoing the training,” he said. The officer said for them, preserving leopards and livelihood of people was of paramount importance.

According to records, at least 10 leopards had been rescued from residential areas over the past five years.

Livestock herder Shahbaaz, who lives near Hoshiarpur, said the frequency of leopard attacks had increased over the years. Almost every time, the predator ended up injuring of killing their cattle. “We’ve been told that conserving snow leopards is important, but they make our lives very difficult,” he said.