Forest dept to conduct first leopard census to formulate ‘long- term conservation policy

In a step towards improving wildlife conservation and managing rising human-wildlife conflict, the Rajasthan forest department is set to conduct the state’s first-ever leopard census. The move aims to gain a scientific and holistic understanding of the leopard population across the state, and to formulate a long-term conservation and conflict-mitigation policy.

- Sachin Saini

The decision comes in the wake of a series of leopard attacks, most notably in October 2024 when a leopard killed eight people in Udaipur over 12 days and was later declared a man-eater. A similar incident occurred in 2019 in Udaipur, where another leopard had to be shot after being classified as a man-eater.

In the aftermath of these attacks, the forest department had raised concerns with the National Wildlife Board, seeking essential guidance to address the growing threat posed by the expanding leopard population.

“The increase in leopard num-