Odisha’s leopard population jumps by 22% to 696

  • October 4, 2024
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Odisha’s leopard population jumps by 22% to 696

Sub: Env

Sec: Species in news

Context:

  • The All Odisha Leopard Estimation 2024 has been released.

Current Population Status in Odisha:

  • Latest count (2024): 696 leopards (range: 668-724)
  • 22% increase from 2022 (568 leopards)
  • Still below 2018 levels (760 leopards)

National Context:

  • India’s total leopard population: 13,874
  • Historical decline: 75-90% reduction over past 120-200 years
  • National poaching statistics: 1,485 leopards in last 10 years

Survey Methodology:

  • Coverage: 47 forest divisions
  • Methods used:
    • Field surveys for indirect evidence (pugmarks, scrapes, scats, etc.)
    • Camera traps for identification through rosette patterns
    • Scientific monitoring of direct and indirect evidence

Key Findings

  1. Protected Areas:
    • Similipal Tiger Reserve: Largest leopard population
      • Connected to Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary, which is essential for leopards to disperse from Similipal to these other protected areas.

About Similipal National Park:

  • Simlipal is a tiger reserve in the Mayurbhanj district in the Indian state of Odisha
  • It is part of the Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, which includes three protected areas -Similipal Tiger Reserve, Hadgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • Simlipal National Park derives its name from the abundance of red silk cotton trees growing in the area.
  • The vast terrain of Similipal with wide altitudinal, climatic and topographic variations, criss-crossed by large number of perennial streams, harbours a unique blend of Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and Sub-Himalayan plant species.
  • The floristic composition indicates a connecting link between South Indian and North Eastern Sub-Himalayan Specie
  • Forest is predominantly moist mixed deciduous forest with tropical semi-evergreen forest in areas with suitable microclimatic conditions and sporadic patches of dry deciduous forests and grasslands. It forms the largest watershed of northern Odisha.
  • It holds the highest tiger population in Odisha, and harbours the only population of melanistic tigers in the world.
  • Other carnivores found here are leopard, leopard cat, fishing cat, jungle cat and wolf. The active management of mugger has revived its population on the banks of the rivers Khairi and Deo.
  • Similipal Tiger Reserve is also home to the largest population of elephants in Odisha.
  • This protected area is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2009.
  • Satkosia landscape: Second highest population
  • Hirakud Wildlife Division (including Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary): Significant population presence
  1. Important Statistics:
    • 45% of leopards live outside protected areas
    • Melanistic leopards found in three forest divisions.
    • State forest cover: 50% of total geographic area

Conservation Challenges

  1. Poaching Concerns:
    • 59 leopard skins seized (2018-2023)
    • 57 leopard skins recovered by STF (2019-2024)
    • Total confirmed poaching: 116 leopards
  2. Protected Areas Network:
    • 1 National Park
    • 19 Wildlife Sanctuaries
    • 2 Conservation Reserves

Source: TH

Environment Odisha’s leopard population jumps by 22% to 696