In a first, Himachal to hold census of Asiatic black bear, leopard

Considering the increase in attacks on human beings, the wildlife wing of the Forest Department will hold a census of Asiatic black bear and common leopard with the help of the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, and formulate a strategy to combat the issue.

The wildlife wing of the Forest Department will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata, for undertaking the Population estimation so that there is an idea about the population of black bears and leopards. A major part of this will be as study on human-wildlife conflict, which will primarily focus on these two species.

Though a census to ascertain the population of common leopards had been undertaken in 2004, it was not done scientifically and its figures were highly doubtful. The Forest Department has undertaken the census of monkey and langur thrice and of the highly endangered snow leopard once. However, it will, for the first time, collect data on Asiatic black bears which are found in the higher reaches of Chamba, Shimla, Kullu and Sirmaur.