Leopard deaths in India at five-year high, over a third poached
17th December 2018
India recorded its highest leopard mortality over the past four
years in 2018. As many as 460 leopard deaths were recorded across the
country this year, according to the Delhi-based Wildlife Protection
Society of India (WPSI). A bulk of them – 155 (34%) – were poached
while 74 (16%) died in train or road accidents.
At least 431
leopards were killed in 2017, 440 in 2016, 399 in 2015 and 331 in 2014.
There were 12,000 to 14,000 leopards across India, according to a 2016
census.
The highest leopard mortality in 2018 was recorded in
Uttarakhand with 93 deaths, followed by Maharashtra (90), Rajasthan
(46), Madhya Pradesh (37), Uttar Pradesh (27), Karnataka (24) and
Himachal Pradesh (23).
“Cases of poaching, road accidents, and
human-animal conflict stand testimony to the habitat destruction of
these big cats… [It is] a direct result of increased urbanisation
edging closer to protected forest spaces…,” said WPSI programme
coordinator Tito Joseph.
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