Forest dept to track leopard population amid rise in man-animal conflict: Official

Amid the rise number of leopards and human-wildlife conflict in Rajasthan, state forest minister Sanjay Sharma on Wednesday directed officials concerned to keep a track of the population of leopards, excluding those in Tiger Reserves, in protected areas using the camera trap method, officials familiar with the matter said.

- HT Correspondent [e-mail]

JAIPUR:

A senior official familiar with the development said the rising number of leopards has significantly contributed to increasing instances of human-wildlife conflict. In Udaipur district alone, eight people were killed by leopards last year, underscoring the urgent need for measures to control the situation.

In order to address this issue effectively, it is crucial to estimate the minimum leopard population, which will serve as the first step towards finding a solution to the ongoing crisis, he said.