The Assam forest department has set up a team of wildlife experts to look into the frequent incidents of leopard straying into the residential locality of Guwahati and claimed that the tiger population is increasing in Assam.
Informing that Assam may have the highest number of tigers soon, Assam forest minister Rockybul Hussain told reporters that census through pug marks and camera-trapping has indicated that the tiger population in Kaziranga and other wildlife sanctuaries of the state was rising.
The forest minister was of the view that wildlife conservation efforts had borne fruit and despite incidents of poaching, the number
of endangered species, including one-horn rhinoceros, was rising in Kaziranga.
Mr Hussain, who admitted that growing incidents of leopards straying into the populated area frequently was the area of concern, said, “We have enhanced the ration wages of forest guards living in the remote beat offices inside the wildlife sanctuaries and provided them latest weapons to combat poachers and protect the animals.”
Asking the people for an humanly treatment with straying leopards, Mr Hussain asserted that it was not the government which alone can protect the precious wildlife but the pro-active support of the people was equally necessary to defend the wildlife population.
Meanwhile, the director of Kaziranga national park told mediapersons that census of tigers through the camera-trapping method has already started in all four forest ranges, Kohora, Bagori, Agoratoli and Burhapahar of Kaziranga.