The state forest department is ready with a first-of-its-kind detailed action plan for dealing with leopards outside Protected Areas. The plan has suggested a complete shift — from the current reactive mitigation measures to proactive measures — by involving locals and other important stakeholders as well as ending several old practices used during leopard rescue.

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This action plan, prepared specifically keeping the high man-leopard conflict at Junnar in mind, details specific steps to be taken, including setting up of forest department Conflict Management Teams (CMT) as well as involving villagers through formation of Village Rapid Response Team (VRRT), besides assigning duties to be played by various authorities during an emergency involving a leopard.

The committee that worked on the action plan was constituted by principal chief conservator of forests, Maharashtra, AK Saxena under chairmanship of chief conservator of forests, education and training Nitin Kakodkar with members including chief conservator of forests, wildlife, Pune, Sunil Limaye, deputy conservator of forests, territorial, Junnar S Dhokte, wildlife veterinarian of the Junnar leopard rescue centre Dr Ajay Deshmukh and wildlife biologist Dr Vidya Athreya.

"Till date, there is no policy, not only in Maharashtra but across India, to deal with leopards outside protected forests. All that is being done is trapping and releasing them and giving compensations. For the first time under this action plan, we accept that there are leopards present in human landscape and emphasis is given to taking proper steps to avoid any conflict with the animals beforehand itself as well as handling a conflict situation, if it occurs, in a more organised manner," said Athreya, who added that the recommendations were applicable for any place in the country where leopards are known to share space with humans.

She added that research has shown that conflict has only increased due to trappings and, so far, all the focus has always been on the leopard, but through this action plan, the idea has been to shift the attention to the people affected too.

"Maharashtra currently pays the highest compensation for human deaths due to leopards in India — Rs8 lakh. We have recommended an increase in assistance to people who have been injured in leopard attacks by having a fixed deposit of Rs1 lakh for their treatment. We are also recommending a faster system of reporting livestock loss," she said, adding that again the aim behind these recommendations was to help the people affected and ensure that they do not see killing the leopard as the only solution to end the conflict.

Limaye said another key aspect of the action plan was focussing on ensuring better coordination between the forest department and other government departments, namely the police and collector.

"Currently, during an emergency involving a leopard, be it an attack on humans or it being trapped, there is no proper coordination. Hence, there have been suggestions made to have regular meetings between the forest department of various range offices and the cops, the collector, the tehsildar and even the gram panchayat for understanding each others' role in a better manner," he said.

The action plan also recommends that wild animals be made safer in human landscapes — it proposes enclosing open wells and building wildlife crossing areas across roads, canals and other linear structures.

A senior forest official mentioned that this action plan was the first detailed as well as scientific dossier and a need of the hour to deal with the man-leopard conflict that was becoming a huge concern due to lack of a proper guidelines till date. "It is awaiting final clearance; once cleared, it will be a major help in reducing this conflict," he added.

Protocol for dealing with captured leopardsAfter obtaining the requisite permission, the leopard is to be trapped, ensuring minimum force and trauma to the animal.Once the animal is successfully immobilised/trapped, it needs to be shifted immediately to a safe place, away from the common public.Squeeze cages are not to be used and instead tranquilisers are to be opted for for treating the animal.The leopard's measurements are to be recorded and it is to be ascertained whether the animal had been trapped earlier, by use of a microchip reader.Each leopard so handled is to be inserted with the microchip bearing a unique ID number, record of which has to be kept.No wild caught animal is to be shown to the public. Care is to be taken to ensure that the animal is not subjected to further trauma and not exposed as a showpiece.Any rescued leopard has to be released within 24 hours as close as possible to the site of rescue. Long distance releases, greater than 30km from site of capture, should not be done.In case of animals which are suspected to be involved in predatory attacks on humans, needful care is to be taken to ascertain the facts; and in such proven cases, such animals are not to be released.All details of leopard trappings have to be uploaded on the web-based platform.Important to save leopardsDealing with open wells: It must be made mandatory that new wells are fenced either using chain link or with an appropriate wall.Dealing with road mortalities of wildlife: Underpass and green overbridges have to be made mandatory while constructing new roads, along with signages informing people to take precautions for their safety as well as to avoid accidents related to wild animals.Use of animal-friendly traps: No iron traps are to be used, only fibre traps. Each trap has to be fixed with a GPS-tracking device, with monthly reports provided on the deployment of the traps.Some recommendations of the action planSet up Leopard Interface Management Centre: To house animals that cannot be released back into the wild or have to be kept temporarily for treatment. There should be a one-way viewing glass to be used for the wild animals in these centres, so that they are not aware of the humans viewing them.These centres, like the one at Junnar and Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), should use leopards present in captivity for education and sensitising the locals, especially schoolchildren about the circumstances leading to the permanent captivity of these animals, so that they empathise with the animals who are otherwise condemned for life.Control room: All range forest offices should have a control room equipped with round-the-clock phone facility. The staff here will respond immediately to any leopard emergency.Preventing livestock losses due to leopards: 100% subsidy has to be given for livestock sheds (which will house four goats and two calves).Toilet facilities for people: Household toilets should be mandatory in areas with leopard presence so that people do not have to venture outside their houses in the night for attending nature's calls.Assisting people in case of grievous injuries due to leopard attacks: A fixed deposit of Rs1 lakh should to be opened in the name of the person who was seriously/grievously injured as often they require long-term medical assistance.E-monitoring of damages: All compensation records should be maintained on a web-based platform.Forest department's Conflict Management Teams (CMTs)A few forest staff to be provided with specialised training in terms of immobilisation and handling of the animal after immobilisation at centres like the Wildlife Institute of India. CMTs should be equipped with proper uniform and equipment.Village Rapid Response Teams (VRRTs)Three to four villagers selected by gram panchayat to be inducted into the VRRTs. Training should focus on providing them information about behaviour of leopards as well in public relations. The primary work would be to rapidly respond to any wild animal emergency, especially that of leopards and to assuage people's fears so that the situation does not go out of control.