Due to space constraints for keeping leopards in captivity, ten big cats will be transferred from the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre (MLRC) in Junnar tehsil of Pune district to the Vantara Zoo in Jamnagar district of Gujarat. Forest department officials confirmed this decision.
Approval and Preparations Leopards Shifting to Vantara Gujarat:
“We sent a proposal to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in the first week of March, and they have cleared it. We are awaiting a formal letter from them, which we are expected to get by next week,” said Amol Satpute, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Junnar.
According to Satpute, the leopards will be relocated to the Jamnagar Zoo, Rescue, and Rehabilitation Centre at Vantara.
Junnar tehsil has witnessed a significant rise in leopard attacks in various villages, particularly in the Yedgaon dam watershed area. Over the past three months, six leopard attacks have resulted in three fatalities and three injuries.
Safety Concerns and Special Operations:
This surge in attacks has raised safety concerns in Junnar tehsil. In response, the forest department launched a special operation on May 10 to capture leopards in the affected villages, setting up 30-40 trap cages and camera traps.
Since then, the department has captured at least nine leopards, including a two-year-old male captured on May 26 from Kalwadi village.
Calls for Alternative Relocation at Vantara Gujarat:
Forest officials have reported local citizens’ demands to release captured leopards into larger sanctuaries or tiger reserves instead of nearby forest areas. However, guidelines on such releases remain unclear.
“Given the lack of clear guidelines on releasing leopards into larger sanctuaries, we have decided to explore the possibility of shifting the leopards to another state,” Satpute explained.
DNA testing is underway to identify leopards involved in human fatalities. “Those involved in such incidents will be kept in captivity for a lifetime at Manikdoh, while others will be sent to Vantara,” Satpute added.
Political Reactions:
Amol Kolhe, NCP (SP) Member of Parliament from Shirur, supports the relocation proposal. “It is a welcome step as it will help resolve the situation somewhat.
However, Junnar’s current leopard population of over 500 is problematic, and the department must take strong steps to resolve future conflict issues,” he stated.
Conversely, Shiv Sena leader Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil expressed disappointment with the forest department’s handling of the conflict in Junnar. “The forest officials have been neglecting the issue for a long time.
I will meet with CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to urge them to take strong measures,” he said.
Get all the latest news on Indian daily post
