Leopards in India

News Highlight

The Forest department patrolled at Kottiyoor after leopards were spotted.

Key Takeaway

• The Forest department has sounded alert and intensified patrolling at Palukachimala after cameras confirmed the presence of two leopards.
• It is an ecotourism centre on the Kannur-Kottiyoor and Kelakam panchayat borders.

Indian Leopard

• About
  • Firstly, the leopard is the smallest of the Big Cats and is known for its adaptability to many habitats.
  • It hunts at night and is a nocturnal mammal.
  • In addition, it feeds on lesser herbivores such as chital, hog deer, and wild boar in its area.
  • Melanism is a common condition in leopards that causes the animal’s entire skin, including its markings, to turn black.
  • Furthermore, a melanistic leopard is frequently confused with a different species and is mistaken for a black panther or a jaguar.
• Habitat
  • Sub-Saharan Africa, Western and Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast and East Asia are all home to it.
  • Additionally, the Indian Leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is a leopard found throughout India.
• Conservation status
  • Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List
  • Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
  • Schedule-I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.

Leopard population in India

• According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s recent report ‘Status of leopards in India, 2018’, there has been a “60 per cent increase in the population count of leopards in India from the 2014 estimations”.
• The leopard population was expected to be 8,000 in 2014, but it has increased to 12,852.
• Furthermore, the state of Madhya Pradesh has the most leopards (3,421), followed by Karnataka (1,783) and Maharashtra (1,690).

Threats faced by Indian Leopards

• Poaching for body parts and skins.
• Habitat loss and fragmentation.
• The conflict between humans and leopards.

National Tiger Conservation Authority

• About
  • The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change.
  • In addition, it was founded in 2005 in response to the Tiger Task Force’s recommendations.
  • Furthermore, it was established by the authorities and tasks provided to it under the enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as modified in 2006.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

• About
  • Firstly, CITES is a voluntary international agreement to which states and regional economic integration organisations agree.
  • CITES was created due to a resolution passed by members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1963.
  • To ensure that international trade in wild animal and plant specimens does not endanger their survival.
  • Furthermore, the Conference of the Parties to CITES is the Convention’s supreme decision-making body and comprises all of its Parties.
• Functions of the Convention
  • Firstly, the CITES operates by subjecting international trade in specimens of specific species to specific controls.
  • In addition, the import, export, re-export, and introduction of species are covered by the Convention.
  • Each Party to the Convention must appoint one or more Management Authorities to oversee the licencing system.
  • Furthermore, the Convention’s Appendices I, II, and III contain lists of species with different levels of protection from over-exploitation.

Pic Courtesy: The Hindu

Content Source: The Hindu

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