Mysuru: Since its establishment on Jan 31, 2023, the Leopard Task Force in Mysuru has emerged as a crucial unit in addressing human-wildlife conflict. The specialised team not only rescued and captured dozens of leopards, but also helped prevent significant losses to farmers by protecting livestock and responding swiftly to distress calls from rural areas.Equipped with modern technology and staffed by trained personnel, the task force provided timely assistance in wildlife emergencies, offering considerable relief to residents, particularly farmers and those dependent on agriculture.Prabhu Gouda, deputy conservator of forests (wildlife), who heads the Leopard Task Force, said the unit was created following a rise in human fatalities and livestock killings caused by leopard attacks in Mysuru and Mandya districts. The situation was especially alarming in T Narasipur taluk in Mysuru, where four people lost their lives between Oct 2022 and Jan 21, 2023. “Since its inception on Jan 31, 2023, the task force received 3,569 complaints from Mysuru and Mandya districts. During this period, the team successfully rescued and rehabilitated 210 leopards,” he said.According to the IFS officer, the highest number of calls was recorded from Mysuru taluk, which alone accounted for 1,012 complaints. The team managed to rescue 65 leopards from the taluk. Of the 210 leopards rescued over the past 3 years, 89 were male, 67 female, and 54 were cubs. Apart from rescue operations, the task force also conducts awareness programmes and implements precautionary measures in conflict-prone areas to minimise human-wildlife encounters.The 40-member team is equipped with advanced tools and vehicles, including fibre batons, protective shields, thermal drones, 360-degree drones, solar-powered sensor drones, high-intensity torches, and various types of cages and nets. Regular review meetings are held every three months to enhance the team’s preparedness and operational efficiency. In addition to operations in Mysuru and Mandya districts, the task force also assisted in wildlife rescue operations in other districts such as Hassan, Chamarajanagar, Shivamogga, Dharwad and Bengaluru.
