What is the issue?
- In late 2016, two leopards, suspected of being man-eaters were captured in Sariska National Park and transferred to Jaipur zoo.
- At the Jaipur zoo, both the leopards were castrated.
- Then in early February, 2017, they both were released back to their habitat.
Why this action is perplexing?
- Because, there is hardly any study that associates the sexual drive of Leopards with their man-eating tendencies.
- Studies also warn of the dangers of releasing predators after captivity since the animals have lived through a period of stress.
- Still, ignoring all the studies, the two Leopards were released just three months after they were captured.
- In a cage, not only the leopard doesn’t need to hunt for food but also it comes into contact with people who feed it.
- Researchers say that, if a predator is planned to be released later, then keeping it in captivity with frequent contact with humans is wrong.
What is the response from the authorities?
- Rajasthan’s wildlife warden has refuted the reports that said Rajasthan’s forest minister directed the rehabilitation of the leopards.
- The deputy director of the Sariska said that he had recommended that the man-eaters should be kept in a zoo and decided later about how they should be released.
- Man-animal conflicts have increased all over the country and there are lot of research on the behaviour of big cats available for study but the park managers are either unaware of these studies or are constrained by other reasons to not pay heed to them.
Source: The Indian Express
