In a unique project underway in Mumbai called ‘Leopard in a Spot’- wildlife experts have been visiting media schools across the city in a bid to create awareness specifically amongst media students about leopards as well as human-leopard conflict.
In a unique project underway in Mumbai called ‘Leopard in a Spot’- wildlife experts have been visiting media schools across the city in a bid to create awareness specifically amongst media students about leopards as well as human-leopard conflict.
On Tuesday a symposium was organised at St Xaviers College, which was attended by around 100 students from five different colleges where researchers, forest department, and journalists addressed the Bachelor of Mass and Media (BMM) students emphasizing on the need of reporting wildlife issues sensitively.
“We felt that its very important to sensitize the budding and future media professionals who will soon be working with news broadcasting companies or advertisement firms as both need to portray wildlife in a sensitive manner. We explained them leopard biology and also showed them videos illustrating man-animal conflict in Aarey colony,” saidWildlife biologist Nikit Surve from Wildlife Conservation Society(WCS)-India.
During a panel discussion held as part of symposium Mayur Kamath Wildlife Warden, Mumbai suburbs along Range Forest Officer (RFO) Shailesh Deore and Sunetro Ghoshal from Mumbaikars for Sanjay Gandhi National Park (MfSGNP) shared the challenges they face when a leopard accidentally strays into human habitat or is caught in a conflict.
“Given the increasing pressure on the forest fringes due to rise in numbers of people living around it, Mumbai is likely to witness more cases of human leopard interactions and media will have to play a very crucial role in awareness,” said Kamath.
Meanwhile Deore highlighted how forest officials risk their lives to ensure the safety of both- residents and the leopards during a conflict situation. “There are huge crowd and other difficulties we face but thanks to the MfSGNP project under which we have regular interactions with the media the reporting in the newspapers have been balanced and sensitive,” he said.
IN A SPOT
- The ‘Leopard in a Spot’ project is an extension of the Mumbaikars for Sanjay Gandhi National Park (MfSGNP) initiative that was started in 2011 at SGNP
- A team of biologists and citizen volunteers carry out awareness for citizens living in and around the forest areas. The effort involves the police and media
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