Alipurduar, Aug. 4 -- Five years of continuous research and camera trap monitoring have provided strong evidence that the clouded leopard-one of the world's most elusive and rare wild cats-has established a stable breeding population in the Buxa Tiger Reserve. On World Clouded Leopard Day, observed on Tuesday, forest officials and wildlife experts described the findings as a major boost for wildlife conservation in North Bengal.
Although no comprehensive census has yet been conducted to determine the exact population of clouded leopards in India or North Bengal, senior Forest Department officials said long-term camera trap records and scientific studies indicate that the species is gradually recovering in the region.
Officials also noted that no clouded leopard has been reported poached in Buxa Tiger Reserve over the past decade, reflecting the success of sustained conservation and anti-poaching measures.
Besides Buxa, the species is also found in the forests of Neora Valley National Park and Jaldapara National Park, with no recorded poaching incidents in any of these protected areas during the last ten years.
Animesh Basu, Coordinator of HNAF, said: "The clouded leopard is an important indicator species whose presence signifies a healthy forest ecosystem, balanced food chain and rich biodiversity." He added that the shy, nocturnal animal spends most of its time in dense forest canopies, making sightings extremely rare. Preserving the undisturbed forests of Buxa and Neora Valley is vital for the species' long-term survival and called for a scientific population assessment using modern research methods.
Forest officials said repeated camera trap images from remote parts of Buxa over the past several years suggest the reserve now supports a stable breeding population. Buxa Tiger Reserve is currently the only protected area in North Bengal implementing a dedicated clouded leopard conservation programme with Central Government assistance, focusing on scientific monitoring, habitat improvement, anti-poaching surveillance and long-term research.
Forest officials said protecting the clouded leopard ultimately means conserving the entire forest ecosystem on which the species depends.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.