Hey there, folks! If you’re a resident of Junnar, Ambegaon, Khed, or Shirur talukas in Pune district, you might want to pay attention to this piece of news. Pune District Collector Dr Suhas Diwase has recently declared 233 villages in these areas as ‘Potential Leopard Disaster-Prone Areas’. Yikes, right?
So, what’s the deal with all this leopard drama? Well, it turns out that over the past 5 years, there have been quite a few incidents of human injuries and even deaths in the Junnar Forest Division. And that’s why the Disaster Management Act of 2005 has been invoked to officially label these villages as potential disaster zones.
Now, let’s talk geography for a moment. These talukas are located in the northern part of Pune district and are part of the Junnar Forest Division, which is home to seven forest ranges. The area is known for its hilly terrain and numerous irrigation projects, thanks to dams like Dimbhe, Manikdoh, and Pimpalgaon Joga.
But here’s where things get interesting. The abundance of water from these projects has led to the cultivation of crops like sugarcane, banana, grape, and pomegranate. And guess what? These crops provide the perfect shelter and water sources for leopards. So, it’s no surprise that these majestic cats have made themselves at home in sugarcane fields.
And with more humans and domesticated animals around, leopards have easy access to food. This has resulted in an increase in human-leopard conflicts in the area over the past 23 years. According to experts from the Wildlife Institute of India, there are around 400 to 450 leopards roaming around in these talukas, with 40 serious injuries and 16 deaths reported in the past 5 years.
So, it’s safe to say that this area is now a hotspot for human-leopard conflicts. With the number of attacks on the rise, it’s no wonder that it has been officially designated as a “Potential Leopard Disaster-Prone Area”. Stay safe out there, folks!
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