Policy to On-ground Action: Evaluating a Conflict Policy Guideline for Leopards in India

Gubbi, Sanjay; Kolekar, Aparna; Kumara, Vijaya

doi:10.1080/13880292.2020.1818428

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…In comparison, there were a total of 23 leopard mortalities (4.6 leopards/year) as a result of vehicular collisions in Karnataka over five years (Gubbi et al, 2014). Gubbi et al (2019Gubbi et al ( , 2020 recorded 29 leopards killed due to retaliatory actions (3.6 leopards/year), and eight leopard deaths as a result of leopards falling into open wells during 10 years (0.8 leopards/year), in the same landscape. Though mortality of $6 leopards/year due to snares in Karnataka may look reasonably small compared to the overall population of 1,783 , combined with other unnatural causes of adult mortality, deaths due to snares could be a serious cause for concern.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hence, the data supports the need for more investment in long term conservation actions including increased patrolling against snares and integrated conservation activities with the local communities. Some of the southern districts reporting higher snaring incidents (Ramanagara, Tumkur, Mysore, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada) also report other kinds of threats to leopards such as mortality due to falling in open wells and human-leopard conflict at higher levels (Gubbi et al, 2019(Gubbi et al, , 2020. This is possibly due to high leopard and human population densities, hence a greater interface between leopards and humans in these areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, patrol data, or wildlife mortality information using platforms such as SMART is rarely used or maintained in India, making such data unavailable. Such content analysis is already used in studies including human-wildlife conflict, the threat of domestic dogs on wildlife, wildlife trade, threats to leopards, and others (Corbett 1992;Gore et al, 2005;Gubbi et al, 2014Gubbi et al, , 2020Hansen et al, 2012;Home et al, 2018).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The state has a human density of 319 people/km 2 (NITI Aayog, 2020) and is one of the states with medium human densities in the country. It also faces high levels of human-leopard conflict (Gubbi et al, 2020).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In India, leopards are listed under Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act giving them the highest priority for conservation (WLP 1972). Some of the threats posed to leopards include poaching for body parts, mortality due to vehicular collisions, habitat loss, retaliatory killing, and others (Gubbi et al, 2014(Gubbi et al, , 2019(Gubbi et al, , 2020Jacobson et al, 2016;Raza et al, 2012). Some threats risked by leopards have been quantified at regional scales (Balme et al, 2010;Gubbi et al, 2014Gubbi et al, , 2019Gubbi et al, , 2020Raza et al, 2012), and any additional information would help in the preservation of leopards.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Quantifying Wire Snares as a Threat to Leopards in Karnataka, India

Gubbi

Kolekar

Kumara

2021

Tropical Conservation Science

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Though large felids are flagship species for wildlife conservation they are threatened due to various anthropogenic impacts. Mapping spatial patterns and quantification of threats to large felines can help conservation planning and resource allocation. The Leopard Panthera pardus, is categorized as Vulnerable by the IUCN as it faces a variety of threats. However, quantified data on the threats faced by leopards is scant. Hunting of wildlife using wire snares is one of the severest threats in India and elsewhere. Snaring, one of the simplest and most effective hunting techniques impacts other non-target species like the leopard. In this study, we document the spatial and temporal trends of snaring of leopards from India. Through content analysis of newspapers and news portals for the period January 2009-December 2020, we documented 113 incidents of leopards caught in snares of which 59.3% (5.5 leopards/year) resulted in mortality of leopards. Most snares (97.5%) were set to catch wild prey. Of the 84 incidents for which exact location details were available, the proportion of leopards caught in snares (54.7%, n = 46) and resulted in mortality (50%) in human-dense areas was significantly higher depicting an elevated threat from snares in these landscapes. Results from Generalised Additive Model indicated that snaring incidences increased with human population density. Percentage of protexted area to the geographical area within a district had little impact on the number of snaring incidents. The study results could help threat monitoring and conservation programs for leopards, especially outside the protexted area system.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Quantifying Wire Snares as a Threat to Leopards in Karnataka, India

Gubbi

Kolekar

Kumara

2021

Tropical Conservation Science

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Identifying Priority Areas for the Indian Leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) Within a Shared Landscape

Kolekar,

Hockings,

Metcalfe

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Habitat loss is one of the primary drivers of large felid decline. The leopard (Panthera pardus), a generalist large felid species, has the behavioural and dietary flexibility to exploit different habitat types of varying human influence. Understanding habitat selection in a shared landscape is critical for the development of conservation strategies and managing negative human–leopard interactions. The development of conservation policy requires data on large spatial scales, which is mostly lacking, especially within shared landscapes in India. This study aims to determine habitat selection by Indian leopards and the anthropogenic, environmental, and climatic variables contributing to this selection. Leopard occurrence records were obtained from an occupancy survey conducted in the five administrative districts in Karnataka (28,375 km2). 267 randomly selected 30 km2 grids were each walked for 10 km and all leopard signs were recorded. Environment variables were chosen to reflect land use, climatic, topographic, and human disturbances that could affect habitat selection at a resolution of 0.1 km2. The mean ensemble model was projected to the state of Karnataka. Habitat selection predicted by the ensemble model was driven by proximity to forest cover and rocky outcrops, higher precipitation, and negatively by distance to cropland and roads. Protected Areas and Reserved Forests in the study covered 47% of the predicted habitat, while 25% is within human‐use areas such as human habitation and croplands. This study predicts that half of the habitat selected by leopards is outside of protected areas and reserved forests. The selection of human‐use areas is predicted because of the availability of cover from irrigated croplands and the proximity to natural cover that provides refuge. Livestock density did not drive large‐scale habitat selection. The preservation of natural cover and rocky outcrops that provide refuge between protected areas is paramount for leopard conservation.

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