TTD to step up surveillance on Tirumala trekking route to counter leopard threat, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) held a meeting to address rising leopard movement near footpaths and Ghat roads.
• Plans to enforce short-term and long-term mitigation through MANIMAL Plan, garbage control, and increased surveillance.
• Wildlife Institute of India and Forest Department to assist in reducing human-animal conflict.
• Alipiri footpath (2.5 km) identified as high-risk; joint patrolling and surveillance to be intensified.
• Measures to include camera traps, bio-fences, pepper sprays, and shopkeeper restrictions to create a “No Leopard Zone”.
• Multi-agency coordination involving TTD Forest, Revenue, Panchayat officials.

Detailed Insights:

• Leopard sightings in Tirumala, a densely forested pilgrimage zone, pose a serious human-wildlife conflict risk.
• The MANIMAL Plan emphasizes integrated wildlife management within human-inhabited or pilgrim-dense zones.
• Frequent pilgrim movement on footpaths demands enhanced vigilance, especially in nocturnal hours.
• Environmental mismanagement—like unattended garbage—can attract wild animals, necessitating strict waste control.
• The Alipiri footpath is not only a religious route but also a conflict hotspot, calling for multi-pronged precautionary strategies.
• Coordination across departments ensures convergent governance for environmental protection and public safety.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Camera Traps: Automated cameras activated by motion or heat, used for wildlife monitoring without human interference.
• Bio-Fencing: The use of physical and biological barriers (like thorny bushes or chili-greased ropes) to deter animal movement into human zones.
• Human-Wildlife Conflict: Interactions between humans and wildlife leading to negative outcomes such as injury, death, or economic loss.
• MANIMAL Plan: A localized wildlife management strategy integrating man and animal safety, specific to the Tirumala region.

Significance:

• Highlights the urgent need for human-wildlife coexistence models in pilgrimage zones within forested landscapes.
• Showcases multi-stakeholder collaboration between religious trusts, scientific institutions, and administrative bodies.
• Ensures pilgrim safety, while also addressing broader ecological concerns, aligning with India's biodiversity conservation goals.

Mains Mock Question:

Human-wildlife conflict is a growing concern in ecologically sensitive pilgrimage zones. Discuss the policy and technological measures that can help mitigate such conflicts, with reference to Tirumala.