Leopard attack in Pune (representation picture of canva)
Quad: In the midst of increasing deaths due to leopard attacks in Pune last year, forest officials introduced AI-driven cameras and special holder tapes in Punes Junnar area to contain attacks. The hilly terrain in the Nordpune district, which borders the Konkan region, offers plenty of water and ideal conditions for horticulture. However, dense plantations and orchards also offer protection for leopards, said officials. In the past five years, the Junnar-Waldgebiet has recorded 17 deaths in connection with attacks related to Leopards, with nine taking place in 2024 alone in 2024.
With 17 people and 41 injuries in five years, the district administration injured 233 villages last year in the Tehsils of Junnar, Khed, Ambegaon and Shirur as “highly sensitive” and “potential catastrophic areas”. According to the Wildlife Institute of India, based in Dehradun, the Junnar Forest Division 6 to 7 Leopards has every 100 km². “The region with a hilly terrain and a network of irrigation projects has to grow cultures such as sugar cane, bananas, grapes and pomegranate scenat from forests Amol Satpute said according to a PTI report.
He found that the increasing population of domestic animals offers leopards a simple source of prey.
“In the past 24 years, the conflicts between human and the world has increased in the department. Using the latest technology,” said Satpute.
The deputy conservator of the Forests (Junnar Range) Smita Rajhans said that solar -powered electrical fences have proven to be effective in order to prevent leopards from penetrating in orchards and plantations.
“A solar energy fence with electrical current is set up in the house around the house. When the animal tries to cross the fence, it gets a non -fatal shock and runs away,” she said.
Rajhans explained that these fences were installed around 150 houses in the “Leopard-promoted” areas to set up another 650. She also mentioned that the forest department used strategic locations of ai-equipped cameras.
These cameras can recognize leopards. The system triggers a siren that notifies forest officials. “The sound scares the leopard and it will run away,” said Rajhans.
Officials have also installed “Animal Intrusion Detection and Repellant Systems”, which can recognize the presence of a leopard at night. “We also distributed specially designed neck belts to agricultural workers in the region. In general, the leopards take a person on the neck, and the belt will offer protection in such a case,” said Rajhans. There is also the Special Leopard Protection Force (SLPF) on the lines of the special task Tiger Protection Force.
The Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center in Junnar, in which 44 leopards are housed, offers temporary or long -term care of large cats that are violated in conflicts between humans and wildlife or are caught in such situations. However, the facility is faced with a lack of space. “It is planned to expand the rescue center in such a way that around 125 leopards can be accommodated,” said an official (sic.) Dnyaneshwar PAWAW, a forest protection, said that leopards spent during the Covid-19 when human activity disappeared.
(With PTI inputs)