Yesterday's work day ended up going close to nineteen hours. I had been preparing info and images for upcoming presentations and more field work. Later in the day Pragati alerted me to just released data from the District Forest Office (DFO) in Palpa regarding the amount of leopards killed there recently, alarming figures including eight in the last three months. Cats had been beaten to death or died eating poisoned laid bait.
These killings occur because people's livelihood and safety are threatened by the big cats. In areas struggling economically the loss of a goat or similar can have serious impact on a family. Where we're testing mitigation strategy it's the loss of human life which has also been of great concern, many children taken in a area not far from where I write this.
Those who followed my Facebook posts in the last couple of days would have read of a successful rescue of a leopard in Lamjung, just one event of many. In fact in South Asia it is a daily occurrence, conflict, rescues, a lot of deaths... people, leopards, livestock.
Keyboard warriors the world over get up in arms when a big cat dies in conflict. I've come to realize that the huge percentage have no idea what the dynamics of these conflicts are all about. The environmental, political, social and economic pressures in a struggling country like Nepal are lost on most, eyes are not open.
More data from DFOs will flow in over the coming weeks. I've now got a morning fixing and preparing cameras, part of conflict kits being implemented. In a world full of problems human - leopard conflict is another one. But for those affected by it, it's a deadly serious one. There has to be fairness to all parties. I've mentioned before one needs a very thick skin to do this work. Well no skin is impregnable and the emotions that do come through have to be harnessed to make sure there is fairness. There are people, leopards and livestock who need that fairness, that support...
