Bhubaneswar: Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Wildlife, Susanta Nanda said that there are at least 696 wild leopards are residing in different forest areas of the State.
According to the All Odisha Leopard Estimation, whose report was released here today, more leopards are residing in Similipal.
The first ever leopard census was conducted by the State Forest Department in 47 forest divisions to identify leopard presence through various signs, including pugmarks, scrapes, scats, rakes, urine spray, vocalizations, and livestock depredation.
The census report was released here during an event organized to celebrate State Wildlife Week here.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had conducted the last leopard census in Odisha in 2022, during which, 568 leopards were found in the state. Further, the population of leopards in the state was 760, as per the previous NTCA census conducted in 2018.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Wildlife, Susanta Nanda said out of 696 leopards found during the survey, about 200 leopards located in the Similipal Tiger Reserve and surrounding areas, which is highest in the State.
Due to its extensive size, Similipal landscape plays a crucial role as a source population for leopards in the surrounding region. It is connected to Hadagarh wildlife sanctuary and Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary, which is essential for leopards to disperse from Similipal to these other protected areas.
Satkosia landscape turned out to be another promising site for leopards and boasts the second highest leopard population in the state. More than 150 leopards are found in the Satkosia, Athmalik, and Boudh region, Nanda said.
Hirakud wildlife division which includes Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary is another key habitat for leopards and has a significant leopard population.
During the census, the forest officials found 70 to 80 wild leopards in the Hirakud, Redhakhol and Sambalpur areas in Sambalpur district, he said.
Further, Sunabeda and Khariar forest area in Nuapada district has home to 40 wild leopards, Nanda informed.
Forty five percent of the leopard population in Odisha is located outside the protected area network and thus the territorial forest divisions have considerable leopard presence. The rare melanistic leopard morph was recorded from three forest divisions, the census report said.
From next year, this camera trap based All Odisha Leopard Estimation exercise will be synchronized with the annual All Odisha Tiger Estimation exercise, officials said.