Leopard walks 80 km to Ulhasnagar

In an event that has delighted the Maharashtra Forest Department, 12 years after a collared leopard, Ajoba, was recorded walking 120 km from Pune to SGNP, a full grown male leopard that was radio collared in Ahmednagar district in September, has walked 80 km to Ulhasnagar. Interestingly, the big cat also swam across the Ulhas river and crossed the tracks on the Mumbai-Pune railway line.

Earlier this year, the Junnar Forest Division of Maharashtra Forest Department along with Scientist Dr Bilal Habib from Wildlife Institute of India (WII) had started the radiocollaring project. The study was started in order to gather information about the lives of leopards living in the sugar cane fields of Maharashtra.

As a part of the study, a total of six leopards were radio collared and the forest department along with the team of researchers from WII began monitoring the activity of leopards. The data generated is very crucial in formulating long-term conservation strategies.

The route (roughly) that the leopard took from Junnar to Ulhasnagar. Map/Suhas Kale

Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF) Jayrame Gowda said, "We have radio collared six leopards in Junnar division. The aim of the project is to understand their movement pattern and distribution of leopards that stay inside sugar cane fields. Interestingly, one of the leopard that was collared in September has walked more than 80 km and has reached a forested patch close to a Ulhasnagar in Thane district."

The data that the forest department is getting from its radio collar is valuable information as it will help in preparing better conservation strategies for leopards and also in reducing man-animal conflict.

The animal was radio collared on September 20 and it was released back in Junnar division itself.

"The team observed that the leopard travelled towards Naneghat and Murbad areas but did not cross the Kalyan Ahmednagar highway. The interesting part is also that at one location it swam across the Ulhas river and also crossed the railway tracks once on the Mumbai-Pune railway line. Its movement was active during the first month between September 20 and October 20. For the last two months, the leopard has not been recorded travelling much and for now it appears that it has settled in the forested patch close to the Ulhasnagar area. The majority of its movement is in the undisturbed areas, away from human habitation," Gowda said.

Keeping eye on leopard

Junnar forest division along with researchers are also in touch with the Thane forest department (territorial) so that they can keep a close eye on the activity of the leopard to prevent any conflict situation.

The area where this leopard is being sighted has a forested patch and some tribal hamlets and villages but there was hardly any leopard activity in the area before. However, with this leopard using the landscape there have been instances where people have spotted it and some villages are demanding that the animal be trapped.

The Thane forest department (territorial) along with nature lovers are now trying their best to create awareness among the villagers. Based on the latest information of the leopard location, the forest department has also increased patrolling and has been getting the location details of the leopard every two hours during the day and every hour at night.

Camera traps

In February this year, the Junnar forest division started a leopard census project that will go on for four years. As part of the project, camera traps will be installed at four talukas in Junnar forest division and using this, a data bank of individual leopards in the area will be created. This will help the department reduce the human-leopard conflict in the area.

Study is crucial

Of the 5,826 sq km geographical area in Junnar forest division, 591.89 sq km is forest cover. The study is crucial because it will help provide a lot of information on how leopards in the sugarcane belt use the landscape, their movement pattern, how much they travel and how they cross linear infrastructure projects, canals, rivers etc. It is also said that the study will further help in planning a conservation model based on which we can help reduce the human-leopard conflict and promote the idea of coexistence.