My piece below is reference to the article written for Onward Nepal by senior environment journalist, researcher, colleague and friend, Pragati Shahi. Click on the title to read the article, go to Facebook if you wish to comment.
The article from Pragati pretty much sums it up but there's a couple of key elements that need to be added. In the main she has written what I've been saying for months, Pragati and I have spent a lot of time discussing it and she has accompanied me on call outs, conflict situations, she has a good understanding. So I write this as someone on the ground, someone who is investing time and money into these issues, someone who tracks leopards, digs holes, wires cages together, spends time with people seriously affected by the conflict, and devotes a big chunk of my life towards rehabilitation.
The first point is where is the public support on this? It's all very well continually blaming governments etc but the public, globally, have not given this animal a fair deal compared to so many other species. Believe me, as one of the small group of leopard conservationists around the world, we are pulling our hair out, wondering what we have to do make this wake up call happen while tigers, elephants, dolphins, orcas, rhinos etc get millions thrown at them. Oh there are a lot of promises from big orgs, individuals, lots of people with nice hair sitting behind desks, yes, it would be nice to have a dollar for every promise. As I mentioned recently it's been over a year since the plight of the leopard was made public after extensive research globally re habitat loss... and the response has been pathetic.
The second issue is this. Where is the word ecosystem from the nice hair people? I have banged on about this so much but the reference in the article to having protected areas misses the point. Ecosystems exist far beyond protected areas and the leopard is totally different from the tiger in that it is far more adaptable, the leopard is in fact one of nature's finest ecosystem engineers, as an apex predator it is an ecological masterpiece. It is not a National Park animal for tourists, it is much much more than that.
On International Day of the Leopard, Vidya Athreya will tell you why the leopard is so important. Vidya is in my opinion South Asia's leading expert, perhaps globally. There will be others having their say re wildlife crime, you will find out what is being done, how hard some people are really trying with minimal support. I hope the people with nice hair will finally listen...
I am close to finishing Phase 2 in the Leopard Rehab Zone (digging holes, tying wire, dealing with a very aggressive leopard) and then I will be in the middle hills investigating a man eater. I hope we can have things set up soon so we can extract man eaters and bring them to the rehab zone, then retaliation killings will decrease. People need to feel safe and by the same token leopards need help...
