Why do we forget that cities also have safe spaces for wildlife?

In the Himalayas, seeing a leopard is normal. We assume it’s their habitat. But see one in Mumbai, Ananthpur, Delhi, Bengaluru or any other city, we assume the animal is displaced. It is as if a city is one large concrete jungle where the only place for a wild animal is the zoo. Indeed, we read about the forest department slogging away to capture the animal to remove it from its wrong place. But is it out of place? Every Indian city still has wilderness. Delhi has vast spaces of scrub forest, fractured no doubt, but intact in many places. If not a home, they are at least a corridor for leopards. Jaipur has a healthy population of leopards. Why do we forget that cities also hold safe spaces for wildlife? As we build more highways and residential areas on the outskirts, we will see more wildlife-scared of us, but forced to move more visibly. What shall we do? Beat them all to death? Or educate the public how to stay calm and get out of their way, train rapid action forces to track it using sophisticated technology? We have to find ways to stop reacting to the odd stray animals with violence, but help it get to its safe space in peace.

(The writer is director, Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group)