Experiment code 16/3
Experiment Title Monitoring Human-Leopard Conflict using Remote Sensing and GIS in South Gujarat
Research Type Departmental Research
Experiment Background The Leopard is reportedly considered to be the most adaptable among all big cat species, in terms of its ability to survive over a wide range of variation in climate, geography and human impacts.Although leopards have been studied well at many sites in Asia (Karanth et al., 2017), the understanding of its changing habitat preferences and habit patterns is crucial since the population outside traditional forests has been increasing rapidly. Despite culturally overshadowed in human perception by its more charismatic cousins liketiger and lion, the Leopard has faced much human persecution.The problem of human-leopard conflict has recently scaled upin the last decadein villages and towns of Gujarat, and reported numerous incidents of livestock damage,human injuries and sometimes death too. Sugarcane fields, tall crop like jawar, bajra, dense bushes in surrounding areas, and have proved ideal habitat for the Leopard, and thereby allowing it to live close to humans and consequently create conflict. Leopards, like other felids, have a well-defined land tenure system where the basic layer of land used in the territory is of females. This layer is superimposed with the territories of males - which are much larger - and can either contain or overlap with many female territories,but no tolerance is shown towards other males. The final layer is that of the transients, usually sub-adults in search of new or vacant territories. Female sub-adults settle close to their mother whereas males are driven out to search for new territories. This large and constant pool of transients and their habit of ranging far makes the species difficult to manage when some individuals come into conflict with humans. In the recent past, thehuman-leopard conflict have increased in many folds in South Gujarat region. Howeverno any scientific work has been initiated to study the magnitude of this conflict, which may be highly useful for the forest officials, administrators, and decision makers as well as for the layperson of the region.To understand the quantum of conflict and categrization of south Gujarat in different conflict zones as: high, medium and low, so as to enable managers prioritise mitigation measures accordingly, and also for the people to use this information for strengthening their efforts in lessening the conflict, the experiment is designed.
Experiment Group Forestry
Unit Type (02)EDUCATION UNIT
Unit (14)COLLEGE OF FORESTRY (NAVSARI)
Department (277)Natural Resource Management,COF, Navsari
BudgetHead (329/18227/00)329/49/REG/03618
Objective
  1. To monitor the extent of human-leopard conflict in south Gujarat.
  2. Categorization of conflict zones in Surat, Navsari, Valsad and Dangs districts of South Gujarat.
  3. To find out possible causes of human-leopard conflict and suggest mitigation measure
Season Annual
Location Unit Type (02)EDUCATION UNIT
Location Unit (14)COLLEGE OF FORESTRY (NAVSARI)
Location Department (277)Natural Resource Management,COF, Navsari
Plot No NA
PI Name (NAU-EMP-2010-000003)ABDULADIL ABDULHAMID KAZI
PI Email aadilkazi@nau.in
PI Mobile 9426324841
Year of Approval 2020
Commencement Year 2020
Completion Year 2023
Design of Experiment

Secondary Data collection from Forest Department. 

Crop Spacing (cm x cm)
Gross Plot (m x m) NA
Net Plot (m x m) NA
Total Experiment Area (m2) NA
Plot History Last Three Year

NA

Initial Soil Sample Analysis Report

NA

Initial Soil Sample Analysis Report Attachment Attachment Not Available!
Layout Plan

NA

Layout Plan Attachment Attachment Not Available!
Treatment

Records of Leopard in conflict and assessing the conflict based on:

  • Livestock damage (Cow, Goat, Buffalo, Poultryetc.)
  • Human attack (Injury/death)
  • Ex-gratia given by Forest Department (on livestock damage/ human injury/ death)
Treatment Attachment Attachment Not Available!
(NAU-EMP-2010-000003) ABDULADIL ABDULHAMID KAZI aadilkazi@nau.in 9426324841 31-01-2022
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