A dramatic scene unfolded during the Maharashtra Assembly’s winter session when MLA Sharad Sonawane arrived dressed as a leopard—complete with a fur coat and a big-cat mask. His unusual attire was meant to spotlight the growing human–leopard conflict in the state.
The protest came just hours after a leopard entered a residential area in Nagpur and injured seven people. Sonawane said he had raised concerns about this issue as far back as the 2014–15 winter session, but the situation had worsened. According to him, 55 people have been killed in leopard attacks in Maharashtra over the past three months.
Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik visited the injured victims in Nagpur and outlined several steps the government is taking to reduce such incidents:
• Controlled Sterilisation Trial:
Naik said the government has approval to conduct sterilisation on a very small scale. The results will be evaluated over six months before seeking permission from the central government to expand the program.
• Habitat Improvement:
Authorities are planting tree species that attract the natural prey of leopards. The aim is to ensure adequate food within forest areas so leopards are less likely to enter human settlements.
• Technology Deployment:
AI-powered alert systems have been installed. These sirens are triggered automatically when they detect a leopard—or even its shadow.
Despite these measures, Naik noted that the government’s options are limited because leopards are classified as Schedule I animals, offering them the highest level of protection. The state has requested that the Union government downgrade the species to Schedule II under the Wildlife Protection Act, which would provide more flexibility in managing the rising conflict.