Mumbai: Another leopard radio-collared, three more to go

Forest dept officials and biologists have radio-collared 2 leopards so far

Another leopard has been radio-collared successfully at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). Forest Department officials and biologists had radio-collared the first big cat, a female named Savitri, on Saturday.

SGNP Director and Chief Conservator of Forest G Mallikarjuna told mid-day, "In continuation of our first phase of the project, we successfully radio-collared and released one male leopard on Monday. His age is approximately six years and has been named Maharaj by our local staff."

The project - telemetry study - involves putting on radio collars or GPS collars on five leopards - three female and two male - over a period of two years. Only three big cats remain to be collared now. The five leopards picked for phase one are from different locations within the SGNP and the periphery.

Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife West, Sunil Limaye said, "The SGNP has one of the world's highest density of leopards and this study will give us insights into unknown facts about them and their interaction with humans. We will also understand their movement pattern, like when they are most active, when they rest and the locations they use to cross linear infrastructure projects and roads in and around SGNP. This will help plan better conservation strategies for leopards."

Several linear infrastructure projects have come up over the years, and highways and roads close to forests without mitigation measures have proven fatal for the wild animals. The study would help create measures to reduce the same.

The rescued crocodile

Crocodile spotted roaming sewers finally rescued
NGO Wildlife Welfare Association (WWA) with the Thane Range Forest Department has rescued a crocodile spotted roaming in sewers and creeks of Navi Mumbai for several years. The Indian Marsh Crocodile is 6.43 feet long and weighs 35.4 kg, said WWA President Aditya Patil. Several videos of the crocodile had surfaced over the years. After a medical evaluation, the crocodile will be shifted to a safe location, Patil said.