More leopard, elephant rehab centres to check conflict

The forest department will soon set up leopard and elephant rehabilitation centres in view of rising leopard attacks.

“We are finalising the design and model for the rehabilitation centre for captured leopards and elephants. It should be ready in a week or so,” additional principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Kumar Pushkar told DH.

He said the budgetary calculations for the rehabilitation centres were being finalised and the proposal would be submitted for the approval of the government within a week.

Mysuru, Ramanagar, Tumakuru and Ballari are among the districts that have seen an uptick in man-animal conflict involving leopards over the past year, while parts of Kodagu, Hassan and Mysuru have reported high incidents of conflicts involving elephants.

Till now, forest officials have released the wild animals captured from conflict situations in forest areas.

However, the plan has proven to be ineffective, especially in the case of leopards which are driven out of forests by resident big cats.

Activist Joseph Hoover noted that the rehabilitation centres at Koorgalli near Mysuru and at Bannerghatta in Bengaluru were already full.

“It’s a welcome measure by the forest department, considering that our zoos are unable to accommodate the felines. The unfortunate deaths in T Narsipur are a stark reminder that there is no more time to lose. However, we have to stop the disturbance to natural habitats and fragmentation of protected areas. Otherwise, this conflict will only go up in the coming years,” he said.