According to figures sourced from the state forest department, a total of 414 spotted cats have died in Maharashtra from 2010 to August 2016
While the deaths and disappearances of flagship species like tigers continue to make news, a significant rise in death of wild leopards in Maharashtra remains outside the focus.
According to figures sourced from the state forest department, a total of 414 spotted cats have died in Maharashtra from 2010 to August 2016.
Experts note that the high death rate—of which a significant number is due to poaching and accidents—points to the neglect of the leopard due to the prevalence of a largely tiger-centric conservation and protection policy.
The highest number of leopard mortality in the state were registered in 2011, when 70 leopards died, followed by 68 in 2012, 66 in 2015, 65 in 2014, 57 in 2010 and 43 in 2013. By August 2016, Maharashtra saw the deaths of 45 leopards.
In contrast, the statistics of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) show that tiger mortality in Maharashtra between 2010 and 2016-end stand at 65.
Leopards, despite having a larger population than tigers, are at risk due to factors like conflict with humans, declining habitats and poaching.
The Maharashtra government had admitted in the state legislative assembly that in Ahmednagar district alone, a total of 30 leopards died between January and September 2016.
A report by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) had revealed that in 2011, a total of 356 of these felines had died in India, of which 52 per cent deaths were due to poaching. Like the tiger, the leopard too is a Schedule I animal (listed under this schedule of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972) which entitles them to the highest degree of protection.
It is estimated that India's leopard population is around 12,000 to 14,000 with tiger bearing areas having around 7,910 of these big cats as determined according to the 2014 tiger census. The number of leopards in Maharashtra's tiger habitats stands at 905.
"Leopards stay around human population and disturbed areas, unlike tigers," said Girish Vashisth, divisional forest officer and spokesperson of the state wildlife wing, adding that hence, the number of leopard deaths due to accidents was large due to the proximity of these felines with humans.
"Generally, compared to tigers, leopards are ignored. They are the most ignored among large cats," said environmentalist and conservationist Vidya Athreya stressing on the need to address this in a pro-active manner.
Reasons for leopard mortalities: accidents caused by these animals falling into open wells, poaching, poisoning, targeted killings due to man-animal conflict, leopards getting caught in snares.
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