From
top: Jungle cat with kittens; Black-naped hare; Mouse deer; Rusty
spotted cat; Palm civet; BIG CITY CAT: A leopard captured on camera with
the eastern suburbs in background
Camera-trap survey finds 35 leopards and a host of hard to find species in Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
The first detailed study of leopards in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, conducted by Nikit Surve, a researcher from the Wildlife Institute of India, has revealed that 35 of the big cats range inside its boundary. The survey, which involved extensive use of camera traps, has unearthed evidence of several species that are very rarely spotted in the park.
"This study was conducted between December 2014 and April 2015. The aim was to estimate the population density of the leopard as well as its wild and domestic prey, and determine food habits of the cats," said Chief Conservator of Forest and the Field Director for SGNP, Vikas Gupta. "We now have a visual record of 35 leopards in an area of 140 sq km; including Yeoor and Aarey forest. This data will help us keep track of the leopards and catalogue deaths as they occur."
Gupta said the camera traps - 45 in all - also captured images of elusive mammals like the rusty spotted cat, jungle cats, black-naped hare and mouse deer.
"This goes to show how so many species of rare animals find a home in a forest located in middle of Mumbai," said naturalist Anand Pendharkar. "This should propel people to fight to save forest areas of SGNP, Yeoor and Aarey."
The study also accentuated the friction produced by the proximity between humans and animals. "There is abundant wild prey inside the park but leopards don't understand boundaries and with a good number of dogs present in the vicinity, they hunt them as they don't present too much of a challenge," said Surve. "We found that the density of dogs was 17 per sq km along the periphery of the park, which is high." According to the study, dogs constitute 24 per cent of the leopard's prey base while the park's wild population accounts for 57 per cent of its diet.
Surve and his team rigged up the cameras at 5 pm every day and retrieved them at 7 am the next day; each was installed along trails frequented by the cats. "The camera was placed at a leopard's knee level and as soon as the animal passed a trap, heat and motion detectors caused it to capture an image," he said. "Some leopards loved the cameras and would actively set them off. Some others were shy; they would strike at the devices."
The first detailed study of leopards in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, conducted by Nikit Surve, a researcher from the Wildlife Institute of India, has revealed that 35 of the big cats range inside its boundary. The survey, which involved extensive use of camera traps, has unearthed evidence of several species that are very rarely spotted in the park.
"This study was conducted between December 2014 and April 2015. The aim was to estimate the population density of the leopard as well as its wild and domestic prey, and determine food habits of the cats," said Chief Conservator of Forest and the Field Director for SGNP, Vikas Gupta. "We now have a visual record of 35 leopards in an area of 140 sq km; including Yeoor and Aarey forest. This data will help us keep track of the leopards and catalogue deaths as they occur."
Gupta said the camera traps - 45 in all - also captured images of elusive mammals like the rusty spotted cat, jungle cats, black-naped hare and mouse deer.
"This goes to show how so many species of rare animals find a home in a forest located in middle of Mumbai," said naturalist Anand Pendharkar. "This should propel people to fight to save forest areas of SGNP, Yeoor and Aarey."
The study also accentuated the friction produced by the proximity between humans and animals. "There is abundant wild prey inside the park but leopards don't understand boundaries and with a good number of dogs present in the vicinity, they hunt them as they don't present too much of a challenge," said Surve. "We found that the density of dogs was 17 per sq km along the periphery of the park, which is high." According to the study, dogs constitute 24 per cent of the leopard's prey base while the park's wild population accounts for 57 per cent of its diet.
Surve and his team rigged up the cameras at 5 pm every day and retrieved them at 7 am the next day; each was installed along trails frequented by the cats. "The camera was placed at a leopard's knee level and as soon as the animal passed a trap, heat and motion detectors caused it to capture an image," he said. "Some leopards loved the cameras and would actively set them off. Some others were shy; they would strike at the devices."
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