Leopard numbers test rescue centre's capacity

ALMORA: The Mrig Vihar Rescue Centre on the Almora-Pithoragarh road is grappling with a growing predicament as leopards brought to the facility are posing a serious challenge.The centre, designed to accommodate five guldars (as leopards are locally called) now harbours 11. It has prompted concerns of overcrowding, as the forest department's disregard for wildlife protection regulations has triggered criticism. The centre, set up in NTD in 1978, has nine guldar enclosures. However, the recent capture of two leopards forced authorities to keep them in cages which directly contravenes the Wildlife Protection Act, leaving officials in a quandary. The forest department plans to relocate two guldars to Ranibagh, which too is battling a space crunch. Two additional guldar rescue centres were opened this year to ease the pressure on existing facilities. In April, a guldar was captured in Wrangel, Hawalbagh block. During the health assessment, three canines were broken. Fearing cannibalism, arrangements were made to house it permanently at the rescue centre.In June, another guldar was rescued from Ranikhet and brought to the facility. However, the department's efforts to capture and relocate guldars have outpaced their capacity, leading to challenges like the current overcrowding situation.