09 Nov 2024        12:51:28 pm

Environmental Ecology

Leopard

Tags : Leopard

Topic: Biodiversity

Why in the news?

• Several teams involving the Army, police and Forest Department fanned out in the forests of Udaipur district to look for a man-eating leopard that reportedly killed seven people recently. 
• Alarmed over the rising number of deaths, the Forest authorities had issued an order to shoot down the leopard. The permission was granted under conditions that an attempt should be made to tranquilise or trap the animal. 

Source: The Hindu 

About Leopard:

• Its scientific name is Panthera pardus.
• It is an elusive and nocturnal animal whose size and color depend on the habitat. 
• It is a great climber and hides in trees.
• It is found in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Russia, and the Indian subcontinent.
• In comparison to other large carnivores, it is quite adaptable with respect to their habitat needs and food requirements, being found in:
  • Agro-pastoral landscapes
  • Plantations
  • Near human habitation (both rural and urban)
• The largest number of leopards in India have been estimated in the states of Madhya Pradesh, followed by Karnataka and Maharashtra.
• Its population is threatened by habitat loss, poaching and human-wildlife conflict.
• Protection Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I.
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I
• Human-Leopard Conflict:
  • The areas that often witness leopard-human conflicts include Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley, the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam, Gir National Park in Gujarat, and Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in southern Tamil Nadu.

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