Lok Sabha Question No. 1760 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-10
Subject: Leopard attacks in Maharashtra
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1760

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.03.2025

## Leopard attacks in Maharashtra

1760. ADV GOWAAL KAGADA PADAVI:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the  State  of Maharashtra is having the second highest number of leopards after Madhya Pradesh as per the report of the Ministry released on February 29, 2024, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the number of leopards as well as the number of deaths of farm animals and humans due to leopards is also increasing rapidly in Maharashtra, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has accurate data in this regard, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the State Governments of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are facilitating leopards movement from their State to Maharashtra, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to prevent human deaths by leopards; and
- (f) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to reduce human-animal conflicts and to ensure peaceful co-existence?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) As per the fifth cycle of leopard population estimation carried out in 2022, Madhya Pradesh  has  the  largest  population  of  leopards  in  the  country  followed  by Maharashtra.  As  per  the estimation,  the  number  of  leopards  assessed  in  Madhya Pradesh is 3907 and while in Maharashtra 1985 leopards were estimated.
- (b) to (d) The  management  and  protection  of  wildlife  including  management  of  humanwildlife  conflicts  is  primarily  the  responsibility  of  the  concerned  State/  Union Territory Governments. The details regarding the number of deaths of farm animals and humans due to leopards are not collated in the Ministry. As per the information received from the State Government of Maharashtra, the details of human deaths due to leopard attacks is as follows:
- (e) and (f) The important steps taken by the Government to manage human-wildlife conflicts including those involving leopards are as follows:
- i. The Ministry has issued an advisory on 06.02.2021 to all states/UTs to deal with human wildlife situations.
- ii. The Ministry has issued Guidelines to States/UTs on 3 rd  June 2022 to manage Human Wildlife conflict including damage to crops.
- iii. The Ministry has released species-specific guidelines on 21.03.2023 for mitigation  of  Human  Wildlife  conflicts  involving  Elephant,  Gaur, Leopard, Snake, Crocodile, Rhesus Macaque, Wild Pig, Bear, Blue Bull and Blackbuck. The Ministry has also issued guidelines for cross cutting issues such as cooperation with media, occupational health and safety in human-wildlife conflict mitigation, crowd management and addressing health emergencies arising out of human-wildlife conflict situations.
- iv. The  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act,  1972  has  been  amended  to  provide statutory status to management plans of the protected areas, mandating consultations with the concerned Gram Sabha.
- v. The Ministry provides financial assistance to State and Union Territory Governments under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes 'Development of Wildlife Habitats' and 'Project Tiger and Elephant' for management of wildlife and its habitat in the country. The activities supported include procurement  of  early  warning  systems,  construction  and  erection  of physical barriers such as barbed wire fence, solar, powered electric fence, bio-fencing, boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields. Raid Response Teams are also deployed to mitigate HumanWildlife Conflict.
- vi. Advance  technology  like  radio  collaring,  digital  sensor  walls  and  Esurveillance are also used in human wildlife conflict mitigation.
- vii. The  Ministry  provides  support  to  State  Governments  to  organize awareness  generation;  training  and  capacity  building  programmes  on human-wildlife conflict.

| Year    |   Number of cases of human deaths |
|---------|-----------------------------------|
| 2019-20 |                                07 |
| 2020-21 |                                33 |
| 2021-22 |                                26 |
| 2022-23 |                                18 |
| 2023-24 |                                15 |

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