MOEF released recently the guidelines for dealing Man- Leopard conflict. You can download the report here. What is your own experience in studying or encountering instances of man- animal conflict? What is the way out?
Tell us about your experiences here.
Replies
Good Report,
I experienced the Man-Leopard Conflict in Pratapgarh (Rajasthan, India).
The term "Man-Eating" is somewhat not correct in my view. I don't know what the experts say but the man is fifth choice of Leopard after forest herbivores, cattles, donkeys, dogs....
Further, it is the burning issue as the Leopard is now the top predator or on the top of the food chain in most of the areas due to local extinction of other wild cats.
Most of time the conflict arises due to loss of wild habitats. This is inducted when human enchroaches the sites of their presence as we have seen in Pratapgarh. Other important reason is prey-predator ratio or decrease in the prey in wild areas which make them turn in the nearby human settlements for the easy prey (cattles).