Sanjay Gandhi National Park, located in Mumbai shares its boundary with many richly inhabited areas like the Aarey Colony, Tansa Area and Bhandup area. Since long it was observed that people in these areas thought of leopards to be posing a real threat to their lives.
The leopards were sometimes seen beyond the boundaries of the national park and it was noted that the quantum of their prey like dogs, pigs, disposed carcasses were
extremely high outside the national park, among humans and therefore the leopards were more attracted towards getting into the residential territory of people.
The Forest Department, Centre for Wildlife Studies Bangalore and members of civil society carried out research for one year, between August 2011 and August 2012 to understand more about the human-leopard conflict in Sanjay Gandhi National Park and to study a plan for fugitive mitigatory actions to ease the conflict in terms of change in management and policy.
Vidya Athreya, an Ecologist at Centre for Wildlife Studies discussed the findings of their research. She pointed out that “leopards are not blood thirsty, much to our surprise they are afraid of humans". When asked about trapping these leopards she said that "when a leopard is trapped in a cage, shifted and released in an alien place where the surroundings are totally new, then such attacks take place rampantly".
The root cause for the human-leopard conflict in and around Sanjay Gandhi National Park is "the garbage lying around the park," said Sunil Limaye, Chief Conservator of Forests and Director, Sanjay Gandhi National Park. He added that "the garbage attracts dogs and other domestic animals which become an easy prey for the leopard".
"To keep such mishaps away police cooperation is key," says Dipti Humraskar of the Mumbaikars for Sanjay Gandhi National Park. She also said that, "36 police personnel in 13 police stations around the National Park have been alerted about this problem. Police can declare Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code at times when there is any problem caused by leopard human interaction which is pulling crowds".
Sunetro Ghoshal, co-principal investigator of the project said that, "people are using the National Park for morning walks, many films are shot in this area and moreover slum dwellers have extended their territory into the park causing a lot of litter and a greater chance of such an interaction turning into a mishap".
The project aims to explain the dynamics of human and leopard interactions to people. Their research also pointed out that the desire to exterminate animals is only among urban dwellers.
For years rural Indians who have lived near forests have survived alongside wildlife in harmony. Vidya Athreya also said that "leopards are one of the most adaptable species". She works in Ahemadnagar district where there are five leopards per 100 sq km. and nobody has died due to a leopard attack, till date".
She added that "people of Mumbai who have been living near Sanjay Gandhi National Park have always seen leopards around, its just that now people are afraid and want the government to take strict action. However, displacement of leopards is not the ideal solution at all, the solution lies in correct disposal of garbage and its management.
Also, people have to be alerted on such situations and have to be taught to tackle them rather than create panic amongst each other."
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