KNOWN for its extensive forest cover and a variegated topography suited to all species of flora and fauna, Madhya Pradesh has added another feather to its cap by being the Leopard State of the country. Already a Tiger State for having the largest number of the big cats in the wild, MP has now recorded a total 3,421 of its feline brethren - the leopard, making it top the list of States with the leopard population in the country. Karnataka comes a distant second with 1,783 leopards, while Maharashtra with 1,690 members of the species holds the third spot.

 

The interesting factor is, Madhya Pradesh has seen a whopping 88 per cent increase in the four-year period starting 2014-2018. Thanks to the persistent conservation efforts of the State Government, this exponential increase has taken the number of leopards in MP from 1,817 in 2014 to the 2018 figure of 3,421 - an increase of over 1,600 leopards in the period. In the same period, Karnataka could add only about 650 leopards. Today, MP has 526 tigers - the highest number for a single State, and now it has 3,421 leopards - again, the highest number of the species in a single State. Today, Madhya Pradesh has over 26 per cent of the total 12,852 leopards in the country and over 17 per cent of the total 2,967 tigers in the country- which is a major positive development in the field of environment protection and wildlife conservation- something India is badly in need of. Overall, the country has seen over 60 per cent rise in the leopard population.

 

 

State CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan has rightly attributed the increase in the population to “big steps taken for wildlife conservation.” He congratulated the MP forest department and all others linked to wildlife conservation for the achievement. Forest Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah has also congratulated the residents of the State and the employees and officers of the forest department for achieving number one position in the leopard population. Rightly so-- the rising leopard population is a matter of pride and directly reflects the sincerity and consistent hard work of the forest staffers, but it’s also a matter of growing concern as man-animal conflicts are increasing and extenuating prey base for the leopards means their greater likelihood of infestation into human habitats in search of food. This is an issue which the experts and policy makers have to think of urgently because it is a growing problem with urban expansion and shrinking space for the leopard (which is true for many other animal species as well), which pose a palpable threat to their population.

 

Since most leopards are concentrated in tiger zones or around such forests that are inhabited by the tiger, it becomes more difficult for them to survive as the tigers drive them away towards human habitations. Being inherently shy and reclusive, leopards don’t intrude into the human space unless abjectly necessitated by hunger. Humans often chase them away, thrash them or even kill them out of panic and ignorance. Thus, despite the surge in their numbers, it must be reckoned that the leopard is still an endangered species and also one of the most neglected species of the tiger family. A little negligence can tip the scale. For long, there had been no established leopard conservation policy in India and they continue to remain on the fringe.

 

No doubt, they are better positioned than the tiger in the demographic ladder, yet it doesn’t take time for the situation to change if the momentum is not sustained over time. The dangers faced by the tiger equally hold true for the leopard too, for they too are poached for their skin and nails and other body parts very much as tigers are. In India, more than 2,845 leopards were poached between 1994 and October 2010. We all know how there are well-organised gangs of professional poachers operating internationally and how our Governments have failed to mount a strong and effective enforcement response to tame poachers. In a big country like India, 12,000 is not a big number in any case - and the figures may not be exact. A study says India’s leopard population may be only a tenth of what it was a little over a century ago. It suffered a possible human-induced population decline of close to 80 per cent or more between 120 and 180 years, say scientists.

 

In 2010, the Wildlife Protection Society of India estimated that at least 3,189 leopards were killed in the country since 1994. For every tiger skin, there are at least seven leopard skins in the haul. Poaching is suspected to have happened at a rate of at least four leopards per week during the period between 2002 and 2012- which can even be more if the right calculations are made-- and these are alarming figures. Therefore, despite progresses, the danger is not yet over and complacency at the achievement can prove detrimental.

 

More needs to be done, and other States will have to take cues from Madhya Pradesh to bolster the management and conservation system, with greater focus and expertise in leopard conservation, especially as leopard-human conflicts are more frequent and on the rise. A change in human behaviour, approach, outlook and understanding of the leopard is important and we need to make adjustments to give adequate space to the leopard - not just the physical space of habitat, but also in the larger wildlife narrative, so that they get the focus they deserve for a safer future. This is not easy to come about unless Governments, conservationists and people join hands. People living close to the leopard populations have to be sensitised, offered alternatives for settlement, or still better - involved in the conservation efforts by giving them the required knowledge and training and incentivise them for their good work- because ultimately, the leopard-man interaction or conflict is only going to rise until we have a very organised conservation facility. By the way, this will create awareness and the message will reach more people. Such integrated and streamlined management is the need of the hour that the Governments must pay attention to.