There may be an increase in leopard population in Gurugram Aravallis

Gurugram: There is good news for the revival of wildlife in Gurugram as forest department has stated that there is a likelihood of an increase in the numbers of leopards.

From being virtually non-existent in the late '80s, the current wildlife population is said to be between 40 to 45. A study conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in 2017 also indicated the presence of wild animals, including leopards and hyenas, in this area of the Aravalis.

As per the study, the highest leopard occupancy in the Aravalis is in Gurugram and Faridabad in the state, and the total area under leopard occupancy was estimated to be 200.9 sqkm.

The study stated that the most sensitive areas are Raisina, Manesar, Nuh, Mohamadpur Ahir, Bhondsi, Damdama, Mangarbani and Mandawar.

The Aravalis have a high concentration of 14 other wild animals - hyena, jackal, wolf, fox, jungle cat, mongoose, civet, porcupine, hare, wild pig, rhesus macaque, nilgai, grey francolin and chinkara.

Not only are leopards being increasingly spotted in the outskirts of Gurugram but there are also reports of Wild cats being spotted in the posh areas located along Golf Course Road and Gurugram- Faridabad Road.

Even as the citizens in Gurugram may be fretting over the wild cat now straying frequently into human habitats, the forest division officials have expressed optimism over the sightings of the wild cats.

Officials have also maintained that there is a possibility of some leopards also entering into the city from Sariska Forests situated in Rajasthan. With frequent sightings, the city forest officials have now started holding camps in various villages on the issue of dealing with leopards.

"It is a positive sign that there is a frequent sighting of leopards in and around Gurugram. Starting from eighties areas of Mandawar, Hassanpur, Alipur, Sultanpur and forests along Manesar that contained a large population of leopards began to show da decline in leopards for various reasons. After a long time incidents of sightings of leopards is being reported from Aravallis in Gurugram," said a senior officer from South Haryana forest division.

Meanwhile, the environmental activists in the city have cited that the rapid degradation of Aravallis is adversely affecting its rich wild life.