Jaipur: The recent death of a leopard cub, struck by a speeding train, has once again brought attention to a pressing issue—the bustling railway line passing through the Jawai Bandh Leopard Conservation Reserve in the Pali district has transformed into a perilous death trap for endangered wildlife.
Situated on the busy Delhi-Mumbai railway route, a train plies through the reserve every 15 minutes.With over 60 leopards inhabiting the reserve, and more than 10 in the Kotar region where the cub’s dead body was discovered, the urgency to address this critical situation is paramount. Despite numerous suggestions from conservationists in the past to avert such accidents, none have been implemented to date.
Shatrunjay Singh, a dedicated wildlife enthusiast and conservationist, voiced concern, stating that while this incident resulted in the loss of only one cub, the potential for more fatalities looms large. The leopard family, drawn to feeding on cattle in the area, faces peril as the cattle often succumb to train collisions. The region, abundant with a significant number of cattle, frequently witnesses these tragic occurrences, enticing wild animals and escalating the likelihood of accidents. He said, “In the past, we have proposed to fence the 30km stretch between Perwa and Malani. The issue is serious as trains pass through the core area, which is home to leopards. If the entire stretch is not feasible, the department should at least fence half of the track next to the hills, where leopards live.”
Scores of leopards, sloth bear, and cattle have been crushed in the past few years in the Jawai area after the frequency of passenger trains increased. Last year alone, nearly 22 wild animals were killed on the tracks in the area. Deputy conservator of forest (DCF), Pali, P Balamurugan said, “After the incident, we have reached out to the railways, and the deputy project manager has assured to work with the forest and take mitigation measures to address railway-induced impacts on wildlife in the region.”
Residents also alleged that the number of underpasses that have been constructed in the area is not sufficient. Moreover, the design is faulty as these are too small for shepherds with big herds of cattle to cross. Instead, they cross the railway tracks above, resulting in accidents. “There is an urgent need to take up this issue immediately to reduce cattle and wildlife mortality caused by trains,” said Fakira Ram Rebari, a local resident.
Situated on the busy Delhi-Mumbai railway route, a train plies through the reserve every 15 minutes.With over 60 leopards inhabiting the reserve, and more than 10 in the Kotar region where the cub’s dead body was discovered, the urgency to address this critical situation is paramount. Despite numerous suggestions from conservationists in the past to avert such accidents, none have been implemented to date.
Shatrunjay Singh, a dedicated wildlife enthusiast and conservationist, voiced concern, stating that while this incident resulted in the loss of only one cub, the potential for more fatalities looms large. The leopard family, drawn to feeding on cattle in the area, faces peril as the cattle often succumb to train collisions. The region, abundant with a significant number of cattle, frequently witnesses these tragic occurrences, enticing wild animals and escalating the likelihood of accidents. He said, “In the past, we have proposed to fence the 30km stretch between Perwa and Malani. The issue is serious as trains pass through the core area, which is home to leopards. If the entire stretch is not feasible, the department should at least fence half of the track next to the hills, where leopards live.”
Scores of leopards, sloth bear, and cattle have been crushed in the past few years in the Jawai area after the frequency of passenger trains increased. Last year alone, nearly 22 wild animals were killed on the tracks in the area. Deputy conservator of forest (DCF), Pali, P Balamurugan said, “After the incident, we have reached out to the railways, and the deputy project manager has assured to work with the forest and take mitigation measures to address railway-induced impacts on wildlife in the region.”
Residents also alleged that the number of underpasses that have been constructed in the area is not sufficient. Moreover, the design is faulty as these are too small for shepherds with big herds of cattle to cross. Instead, they cross the railway tracks above, resulting in accidents. “There is an urgent need to take up this issue immediately to reduce cattle and wildlife mortality caused by trains,” said Fakira Ram Rebari, a local resident.