THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, March 3: The Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR) has 51 leopards. The 5th cycle of leopard population estimation of 2022 has given this headcount for 51 leopards in PTR.
Giving this information, the Chief Conservator of Forest and PTR Field Director Kumar Ashutosh said, “The 51 leopards are only in the PTR. Nowhere in Jharkhand is there any leopard. PTR is the proud owner of the leopards.”
46 leopards in 2018
Deputy director of the south division of PTR, Kumar Ashish, said, “There were 46 leopards here in PTR in 2018. By this account, there is an increase of 5 leopards here.”
The NTCA, Wild Life Institute of India Dehradun, and Forest Departments of the 18 tiger range states, which are coming in 4 major tiger conservation landscapes, conducted the 5th cycle of leopard population estimation in 2022.
Minister releases status of leopards
It was on February 29 that the Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav released the status of leopards under the aegis of monitoring tigers, co-predators, prey and their habitat in New Delhi.
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If the PTR has 51 leopards, it is 86 in Bihar. Jharkhand has a porous border with Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
3,907 leopards in MP
Chhattisgarh has 722 leopards, while Madhya Pradesh remains the house of the leopards with a marvellous headcount of 3,907 leopards.
Rajasthan is too close to Chhattisgarh, which has 721 leopards. UP is settled with 371 leopards.
India has 13,874 leopards, which was 12,852 in 2018.
Leopards have registered a decline in the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains range.
Three tiger range states, Bihar, UP, and Uttarakhand, come in the Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains range.
PTR Field Director Kumar Ashutosh said, “Our forests and habitat are good for leopards. They are spotted here. Tourists do talk about it.”
Ashutosh agreed that the PTR is thus the only postal address of the leopards and Indian Gaur in Jharkhand. Like leopards, Indian Gaur is not found in any part of Jharkhand except the Betla National Park.
