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Updated as there have been more children killed by leopards in far western Nepal.
This morning in the jungle while looking for leopard sign in the region of the Leopard Transit Area, I was thinking about the different jungle areas I'll be in over the coming months. Here on the Terai the terrain is not as steep as the middle hills and Himalaya proper but it still has its challenges with flooding and the various coexistence issues with wild animals. We're preparing for the soft release of the leopard Dipnani, she's in good condition and I'm happy with the behaviour she's showing, I think she has a strong chance of surviving in the wild.
Unfortunately I'll soon be back in a highly affected area in far west Nepal on the Indian border where sadly there have been several children killed by leopards. We're working on mitigation strategies there plus improving capacity to capture maneaters if necessary. Recent deaths have the locals living in fear and there is a police team deployed to kill the leopard, it's a bad situation.
The image below is a valley I'll be spending time in during the winter. I'm working with a community in the Annapurna mountains, Project Mountain Tiger is something I'll expand on later in the year but it's an exciting and innovative conservation initiative, based around the leopard but essentially for the good of people, wildlife and habitat.
I'll also spend time in Asa territory. The image below is from one of the last times I photographed him from up close, the then sub adult leopard at that stage had decided he was ready to fully live alone and fend for himself, the aim of the project. Asa has been captured on remote fixed cameras since and has stayed out of conflict situations, a pleasing result.
There will also be time in concrete jungles (not too much I hope) as the effort continues to get full protection status for the leopard here in Nepal. Perceptions of these remarkable cats have to keep improving to positive with more understanding required by governments, big org conservation groups and the public at large, both here and internationally, as to the importance of these big cats. Full protection status will be a major step forward.
So there are many jungles ahead and like the leopard, I will have to quickly adapt to the different environments to be effective.
Working within the realms of #coexistence, #rehabilitation and #AntiTrafficking I listen to a lot of different thoughts and emotions, especially from those living with leopards. Many cut to the core of our existence, what is sacred to one may not be the same to another. As I get closer to finishing my piece on the plight of the leopard I've realized that there are many blurred lines, cloudy skies when it comes to perceptions and beliefs regarding "protected areas" ... in that it means different things to different people. This is a challenge because until we are all more on the same page about protection status for lands and species, it means ecosystems are under constant threat...
As promised earlier I'm going to start using the many hours of footage I have to publish videos to help in the understanding of the leopard, the people living with them and the challenges of coexistence. From steamy lowland jungles to high altitude forests, I hope these videos can help form a better path forward for this mysterious cat... This first video is just a teaser. Many thanks to those who follow, support and care...
