Ballari, Feb 18, 2015, DHNS:
The ban on mining in forest areas of Ballari,
Sandur and Hosapete taluks in the district in 2010 had a few positive
spinoffs for the ecology.
Besides restoring the ravaged
green cover, it has now come to light that the reclamation and
rehabilitation measures had led to the leopard numbers almost doubling.
The district has a forest cover of 1.37 lakh hectares.
The
leopard numbers now are a healthy 30 to 40 in the Hosapete range alone,
according to Range Forest Officer Sridhar. The big cat population is
spread in the mining areas of Sandur and Gudekote, the Daroji Bear
Sanctuary in Kudligi taluk and the mining areas of Ballari and Hosapete
taluks.
However, the lifting of the ban on ore extraction by
certain categories of miners in recent times has, perhaps, caused
consternation among the big cats and they are now being sighted in
nearby villages and town, much to the chagrin of residents. Activities
resumed in 19 mines in Sandur and Hosapete taluks in the last one year.
Rampant
hunting of the prey animals of leopards like wild boars, rabbits and
deer too is forcing the leopards to migrate to human habitations,
environmentalist Samad Kottur told Deccan Herald.
A leopard and
her three cubs were found two months ago at Vidyanagar township of the
JSW steel company, adjoining the Sandur mining area.
Blast sounds
in mining areas and the noise from vehicles transporting ore are said
to scaring the big cats away. They are now forced to seek refuge in open
grounds. The Forest department is receiving complaints from people who
want the former to catch the leopards.
The residents say that
there have been a number of instances when the felines have taken away
their cattle and in some cases, domesticated dogs too.
A few
leopards were spotted by visitors at the heritage sites of Hampi in
Hosapete taluk. But Sridhar reassures that the big cats will not harm
anyone and these places were habitats of the leopards.
Takhat
Singh Ranawat, the district conservator of forests, agrees with the
observation. He says leopards too were scared of human beings and will
not cause any harm. The increase in their numbers was a positive
development from the point of view of conservation, adds Ranawat.
There
have been reports of leopards being sighted in Hagaribommanalli taluk
also, with demands from people in the villages to place traps to capture
them. The people are trying to scare away the animals by bursting
crackers.
source
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