Lok Sabha Question No. 3243 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: Leopard Attacks
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Bajrang Manohar Sonwane, Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, Smt. Supriya Sule, Shri Amar Sharadrao Kale, Shri Sanjay Dina Patil, Shri Nilesh Dnyandev Lanke, Shri Mohite Patil Dhairyasheel Rajsinh, Shri Bhaskar Murlidhar Bhagare, Dr. Amol Ramsing Kolhe

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3243

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2024

## Leopard Attacks

## 3243 . SHRI BAJRANG MANOHAR SONWANE:

PROF. VARSHAEKNATH GAIKWAD:

SMT. SUPRIYASULE:

SHRI AMAR SHARADRAO KALE:

SHRI SANJAY DINA PATIL:

SHRI NILESHDNYANDEVLANKE:

SHRI MOHITEPATILDHAIRYASHEELRAJSINH:

SHRI BHASKARMURLIDHARBHAGARE:

DR. AMOLRAMSINGKOLHE:

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

- (a) whether there has been an increase in leopard attacks on humans in recent years;
- (b) if so, the number of incidents of leopard attacks on humans that have been reported in the  State  of  Maharashtra  during  the  last  year  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Union Government to address these incidents;
- (c) whether the Government has provided any compensation or assistance to the victims of leopard attacks and their families;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  study  or  assessment  to  determine  the reasons behind the increasing incidents of leopard attacks in the said State and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) the steps proposes by the Government to ensure the conservation and protection of leopard populations while addressing human-wildlife conflict issues; and
- (f) whether the Government is considering to impose restrictions on the reproduction of leopards  in  the  said  State  to  manage  their  population  growth  and  mitigate  humanwildlife conflicts especially involving leopard and if so, the details of the measures proposed to be taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (b) 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 attacks by wild animals including leopards on humans 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:

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

The  important  steps  taken  by  Government  of  India  to  manage  and  mitigate human-animal conflict in the country include:

- i) Ministry has issued holistic advisories and guidelines to the States and  Union  Territory  Governments  to  deal  with  human-wildlife conflict situations dated 6.2.2021 and 3.6.2022.
2. ii) Species specific guidelines for mitigation of conflicts arising from various  wild  animals  namely  Elephant,  Gaur,  Leopard,  Snake, Crocodile,  Rhesus  Macaque,  Wild  Pig,  Bear,  Blue  Bull  and Blackbuck on 21.03.2023.
3. iii) Guidelines  for  cross  cutting  issues  such  as  cooperation  between the forest and media sector; occupational health and safety in the context of human-wildlife conflict mitigation; crowd management in human-wildlife conflict related situations and addressing health emergencies  and  potential  health  risks  arising  out  of  humanwildlife conflict situations on 21.03.2023.
4. iv) Financial assistance is provided by the Ministry to the States/UTs under the Centrally Sponsored schemes -'Development of Wildlife Habitats', 'Project Tiger and Elephant' for various interventions  including  animal  proof  fencing,  anti-depredation squads,  rapid  response  teams,  ex-gratia  relief,  technology  based animal tracking etc.
- v) Advance technology  like  radio  collaring,  E-surveillance  are  also used in human wildlife conflict mitigation.
6. vi) The  local  communities  are  involved  in  conservation  measures through eco-development activities, which help the forest departments in protection of wildlife.
7. vii) The Ministry provides support to State Governments to organize awareness generation, training and capacity building programmes on human-wildlife conflict.
8. viii) The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides regulatory functions for dealing with human wildlife conflict situations.
9. (c) The Ministry has enhanced the amount of ex-gratia relief in case of death or permanent incapacitation due to  attacks by wild  animals including leopards during  December  2023.  At  present  the  amount  of  ex-gratia  relief  payable under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes -'Development of Wildlife
10. (d) The  Wildlife  Institute  of  India,  Dehradun  has  undertaken  aresearch  project titled'Understanding  Population  Dynamics,  Space  Use,  Movement  and  Diet of  Leopards  in  Junnar  Taluka,  Maharashtra  for  Human  Leopard  Conflict Mitigation' from 2019-20 to 2023-24.
11. (e) The  important  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  the  conservation  and protection of leopard populationsin the country are as follows:
- i. Leopard is listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 thereby providing the highest degree of protection to the species.
- ii. A network of Protected Areas namely viz., National Parks, Sanctuaries, Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves covering  important  wildlife  habitats  have  been  created  all  over  the country under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to conserve wild animals including for leopards and their habitats.
- iii. In order to further strengthen conservation of wildlife, Eco-Sensitive Zones  (ESZs)  are  notified  around  National  Parks  and  Sanctuaries under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- iv. Financial assistance is provided to the States/UTs under the Centrally Sponsored  Schemes  -  'Development  of  Wildlife  Habitats',  'Project Tiger and Elephant' for protection and conservation of wild animals including leopards and their habitats.
16. (f) The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972  under section 11(1)(a) empowers the Chief Wild Life Warden to grant permit to any person to capture, tranquilise or  translocate  any  wild  animal  listed  in  Schedule  I  of  the  Act  including leopards  which  has  become  dangerous  to  human  life.  The  Chief  Wild  Life Warden  may  also  permit  killing  of  such  animal  if  it  cannot  be  captured, tranquilised or translocated.

Habitats', 'Project Tiger and Elephant' is as follows:

| Sl.   | Nature of damage caused by wild animals   | Amount of ex-gratia relief                                           |
|-------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| i.    | Death or permanent incapacitation         | Rs.10.00 lakh                                                        |
| ii.   | Grievous injury                           | Rs.2.00 lakh                                                         |
| iii.  | Minor injury                              | Cost of treatment up to Rs.25,000/-per person                        |
| iv.   | Loss of property/crops                    | State/UT government may adhere to the cost norms prescribed by them. |