1 week Ago
Scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in association with the Maharashtra forest department have implemented the first-ever camera collaring project for leopards in Junnar. On Friday, April 11, scientist Bilal Habib who led the pilot project, posted the first-ever footage captured through a camera collar on social media. The growing human-leopard conflict in Junnar has become a cause for concern, with leopards frequently encroaching human habitats.
The vast agricultural land and availability of food provide an ideal environment for these predators that can survive on prey ranging from domestic dogs to livestock and feral animals. Over the years, the leopard population has grown significantly in Junnar tehsil and is now spilling over to the nearby areas. So much so that between March and December last year, the human-leopard conflict reached a head when forest officials reported at least 11 human deaths due to leopard attacks with the number of injuries and crop damage inflicted by these animals even higher.
Although no deaths due to leopard attacks have been reported this year since January, attacks on human beings and domestic animals are still taking place, not to mention crops are being damaged. WII scientists have been studying leopard behaviour in Junnar and the surrounding areas for a long time. A radio collaring project, camera traps, and several other projects have been carried out by scientists to study leopard behaviour so as to help forest officials draw up a conservation policy for the Junnar forest range.
As part of this study, a camera collaring project for leopards in Junnar has been implemented for three months since January this year. In the pilot project, a GPS-enabled camera has been attached to a collar hung around a leopard’s neck and the camera captures images or videos of the animal’s surroundings even as GPS tracks the animal’s location and movement patterns. Sometimes, temperature, humidity or other environmental sensors are also attached to the wild animal’s collar along with the camera to allow researchers to study animal behaviour, habitat use, and interactions with their environment and other animals.
After carrying out the pilot camera collaring project, the WII scientist on Friday posted the first-ever footage extracted from the camera collar. In his post about the project on X, the scientist said, “For the first time in India, a camera collar has captured the world through the eyes of a wild leopard. Deployed as part of a research initiative, this groundbreaking footage offers an intimate glimpse into the life and landscape of one of India’s most elusive big cats.
A remarkable step forward in blending science, technology, and conservation for deeper understanding and coexistence.” Amol Satpute, deputy conservator of forests, Junnar forest department, said, “The project began three months ago when a leopard was collared with a camera. The behaviour and hunting pattern of the leopard hasn’t been explored much.
This camera collaring project aims to understand the animal’s behaviour and hunting pattern. Recently, the scientist has removed the camera collar and extracted the footage captured by the camera. Scientists are analysing the footage thoroughly.
” As permission is required for multi-location trials, expansion of the project depends on further procedures, the officer said..
