Rise in Leopard Population

• 22 Dec 2020

Why in News

As per a recent report ‘Status of leopards in India, 2018’ released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change there has been a “60% increase in the population count of leopards in India from 2014 estimates’’.

Key Points

• The 2014 estimates placed the population of leopards at nearly 8,000 which has increased to 12,852.
• The largest number of leopards have been estimated in Madhya Pradesh (3,421) followed by Karnataka (1,783) and Maharashtra (1,690).
• Region wise distribution:
  
  • Central India and Eastern Ghats have the highest number of leopards at 8,071.
  • Western Ghats: 3,387 leopards
  • Shivalik and Gangetic Plains: 1,253 leopards
  • Northeast hills: 141 leopards
• While the estimated number of leopards has increased, the report alerts that the leopard habitat area has been shrinking alarmingly over the past 100-125 years.
• Techniques Used:
  
  • Camera Traps
  • Satellite Imaging
  • Field work by the Wildlife Institute of India and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• Limited Coverage:
  
  • While the presence of the leopard is fairly ubiquitous, the study has been conducted only in tiger- populated forests areas under Project Tiger.
  • Leopard populations in other agricultural, non-forested areas like tea and coffee plantations, and in most parts of the North East have not been conducted.
• Threats to Leopard:
  
  • Fragmentation of forests as well as the decline in quality of forests leading to habitat loss.
  • Human-Leopard conflict
  • Poaching
  • Depletion of natural prey base
• Conservation Status:
  
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Vulnerable
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix I
    
    • Appendix I:
      
      • It lists species that are the most endangered among CITES-listed animals and plants.
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule 1
    
    • Schedule I and part II of Schedule II provide absolute protection to threatened species. Offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties.

Wildlife Institute of India

• Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• It was established in 1982.
• It is based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
• It offers training programs, academic courses, and advisory in wildlife research and management.

National Tiger Conservation Authority

• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
• It was established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force.
• It was constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it.

Source:IE