Leopard spottings have again increased in the city, but the trouble is more when they become a sight in residential complexes. But then the problem is the location of these residential complexes which are in fact, encroaching on the forest habitat. The forest cover of Aarey and Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai has been reducing to build new infrastructure, leaving no place for the wild animals but to enter these residences.

A certain obvious fear strikes among the people, because these wild ones are preying on stray dogs and there have deaths due to leopard attacks too. A new study by a group of scholar and wildlife experts suggested that the wild cats are reducing the number of dog bite incidents, so the risk of rabies transmission reduces. The study also states it reduces the costs associated with dog sterilization and management. People fail to realise the indirect impact of the large cats on the humans residing in an urban environment. Thane: Leopard Enters Residential Area in Ulhasnagar, Rescued by Forest Department; Watch Video

“We examined the services provided by leopards to the residents of Mumbai, the sixth-largest urban agglomeration in the world. Under one set of assumptions, the presence of leopards in this highly urbanized area could save several human lives per year,” says Braczkowski, a lead author of the study published recently. The study found that 42% of the average leopard's diet is dependent on stray dogs. So calculating the number of leopards in the vicinity, they would probably eat 1500 dogs per year!

Mumbai does have the largest population on stray dogs- approximately 96,000. The study goes on to give the cost-saving done by the leopards. It states, "If the total number of dogs that leopards consume in this system (1,500 dogs) is multiplied by the cost (around Rs 770) of sterilizing each dog, then about Rs 11.6 lakh is saved towards the sterilization programme." This cuts down on the rabies cases too.

But the need of the hour is controlling the rapid urbanization that is taking place in the city at the cost of encroaching in forest space. SGNP and Aarey Colony are under constant threat, courtesy the Metro project planned in the city. The man-animal conflict is only going to rise at this rate. The study may give the positives of leopards controlling the dog population, but that is not the concern to be addressed by the big cats. The cases of leopard attacks have been large and may only continue. The best is to look wisely into developing any land around the forest cover.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 25, 2018 06:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).