As the human population enchroaches ever further into the wildlife habitats, wild creatures such as leopards are driven into human settlements in search of prey — this suffices to set the scene for human-wildlife conflicts.

In the hilly areas of the country ‘the big cats’ are considered dreadful and threatening creatures. The common leopard (Panthra pardus) is found throughout Pakistan. However, its population has been declining due to retaliatory killing, extirpation of its prey, habitat deterioration and fragmentation.

In compliance with the international obligation to conservation of biodiversity, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wildlife department has striven hard to protect the animal and its habitat. Within a span of 15 years, the population of the common leopard has increased as it is evident from increasing incidents of livestock predation, frequent sighting of the animal in the wild and gradual increase in human-wildlife conflicts. The hostile attitude of the local people towards this grand creature further intensified in the wake of serial killing of six women by the common leopard in Hazara division during 2005. Two more human causalities occurred during 2011 along with a sharp rise in livestock predation in the area.

Mansehra wildlife division is a favourable habitat of the leopard; over a hundred incidents of sighting of leopards and livestock ravages have been reported here since the last one year. Local wildlife staff has been trained to trap, tranquilise and transfer the animals from human habitation to the wild habitat under their jurisdiction. During the last two months, three problematic animals have been trans-located safely to the central habitat. As part of these conservation efforts, leaflets and flyers in local language have been prepared to educate communities and to raise awareness for human and livestock protection.

A couple of years ago, local staff came across a critically injured female leopard in Hangrai, Mansehra. It was reported that while jumping from the hillocks the animal fell down and fractured its backbone. Its hind limbs were totally paralysed and it was even unable to change its position. The animal was shifted to Dhodial Pheasantry, Mansehra, where special cages for leopards have been developed for treatment and medical care.

Local vets as well as those from Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi were contacted to seek their expert opinion. Since the animal was unable to move and take food by itself, most of them suggested mercy killing. However, after discovering that the animal was pregnant with a 50 to 60-day old foetus, I decided to take it as a test case and to adopt forced feeding to keep the animal alive. Besides feeding, it was decided to give her a regular massage and use ethno-traditional techniques for recovery. Our efforts proved fruitful and within a week the animal finally stood on its legs. It was discovered that the problem was not the backbone but that the hip joints were dislocated.

Food and milk supplemented with multivitamins and cod-liver oil was regularly provided. Later, the animal gave birth to two healthy cubs.

Similarly, a one-month-old abandoned cub (later named Sunny) was recently brought to Dhodial Pheasantry from the forests of Ghari (Mansehra) which is also showing signs of recuperation and adaptation.

So far, in Dhodial Phea-santry, two adult pairs of leopards and three cubs are being managed as stock for the proposed common leopard conservation centre in the district. To conserve the common leopard in the wild and to reduce human-wildlife conflicts and retaliatory killings in the area, a number of promising measures have been adopted including increased protection in the wild and organising communities with the aim of conservation of common leopard.

Moreover, flyers, brochures and other conservation-related educational material has been prepared to educate local communities regarding self-defence and protection of their livestock. Problematic animals are being regularly identified, trapped and trans-located to potential habitat; the concept for the common leopard conservation centre is being developed where the animal will be kept for research, recreation and management purposes.

National and international conservation organisations may contribute towards the establishment of the common leopard conservation centre and to finance research studies in this context and further strengthen leopard conservation in Pakistan.

The writer is Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife)/ Deputy Conservator in Mansehra Wildlife Division Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.