Mining resumption scares away leopards from Ballari forests

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.

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