3 of 5 Nashik leopards to be released back into the wild

In last two to three months, five leopards were caught in East Nashik. File pic

After random trapping of leopards from Nashik following man-animal conflicts, the Forest Department has decided to release three of the five wildcats brought to SGNP from Nashik. However, wildlife experts feel the animals should be released in the same area from where they were captured.

According to the law, trapping of leopards, a Scheduled-1 animal is permitted as per Section 11 of Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and permission is given only if there are attacks on humans. In the last two to three months, five leopards were caught in East Nashik district. Post capture, the animals were sent to the leopard rescue and rehabilitation centre at SGNP in Borivli. But the centre could not accommodate any more leopards.

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Range Forest Officer Vivek Bhadhane from Nashik said, "We have decided to release two young male and one female back into the wild."

Speaking to mid-day Honorary Wildlife Warden of Mumbai Suburbs Mayur Kamath said, "Release of these animals in an entirely new landscape will cause more conflicts. With so many days behind bars and the trauma they have faced, we should only hope that it does not backfire as these animals will perceive humans differently now. With so many years of experience in surviving in a human-dominated landscape, without touching a single human, they have gone through a lot of trauma. Journey in cages, human voices, crowds after trapping will have changed their survival dynamics."

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