First project leopard to come up in Rajasthan in Dec

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan forest department has identified three wildlife sanctuaries to launch in December a pilot project to protect leopard and its habitats, a first-of-its-kind initiative.

Earlier, the department had identified eight sites for Project Leopard. But now it has decided to start it at the three sanctuaries at a cost of ₹21 crore on an experimental basis. The project will be implemented at Jaisamand Sanctuary (Udaipur), Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary-Raoli Todgarh Sanctuary (stretch of Aravalli Hills extending from Ajmer to Udaipur), and Jhalana Aamagarh Conservation Reserve (Jaipur).

Chief minister Vasundhara Raje, who also holds the finance portfolio, allocated ₹7 crore for the project in the 2017-18 budget.

Rajasthan’s additional chief secretary (forest and environment), Nihal Chand Goel, said the remaining amount will be sourced from the Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) fund.

According to the wildlife census of 2015, in Rajasthan there are only 434 leopards, which is an endangered species under Schedule One of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Around 20 leopards have been killed in the state between 2014 and 2016 in accidents or by humans when the predator strayed into human habitations or agricultural fields. Six people lost their lives in leopard attacks between September 2016 and February 2017.

The project borrows its basic features from the Project Tiger launched by the Centre in 1973.

The state’s forest minister will be the chairperson of the steering committee of the project while the principal chief conservator of forest will be the vice-chairman. The committee will also have the chief wildlife warden as member secretary, and chief conservator of forest, project leopard directors of the selected sanctuaries and experts as its members.

The committee will report to the state board of wildlife.

The eight sites originally earmarked for the project covering 1,926.80 sq km are: Jaisamand Sanctuary (Udaipur), Bassi Sanctuary (Chittorgarh), Shergarh Sanctuary (Baran), Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary-Raoli Todgarh Sanctuary (stretch of Aravalli Hills extended from Ajmer to Udaipur), Mount Abu Sanctuary — Sundamata Conservation Reserve (Sirohi and Jalore), Jhalana Aamagarh Conservation Reserve (Jaipur), Jawai Conservation Reserve (Pali) and Khetri Bansyal Conservation Reserve (Jhunjhunu).

“The project will mitigate man-leopard conflict, conserve leopard population by countering the threats faced, create goodwill between local communities and leopards. The project will also boost conservation of bears, lesser cats, other smaller mammals and prey species to support leopard conservation,” said a senior wildlife official on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media