**Executive Summary**
This document is the response to Unstarred Question No. 2380, to be answered on December 15, 2025, regarding the relocation of leopards from Maharashtra. The questions were posed by Ms. Praniti Sushilkumar Shinde and Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil. The Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change provides the answers.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Early Warning Systems in Maharashtra:**
* The State Forest Department has implemented measures to mitigate human-leopard conflict, including AI-enabled camera traps, AI virtual walls, early warning systems using camera traps and alerts, auditory deterrents, Animal Intrusion Detection and Repellent System (ANIDERS), and thermal drone camera surveillance.
* **Relocation of Leopards to Vantara:**
* Protection and management of wild animals and their habitats is primarily the responsibility of the concerned States/Union Territories.
* **Research on Disadvantages of Relocation:**
* The Ministry has not undertaken specific research on the disadvantages of relocating wild and rare animals.
* **Leopard Task Force:**
* The Ministry has not constituted a Leopard Task Force for the relocation of leopards.
* **Changes to Schedules under Wild Life (Protection) Act:**
* The Central Government may add, amend, or delete entries in the schedules of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, based on scientific assessments of threats to species.
**Impact Analysis**
**Maharashtra State Forest Department**
* **Impact:** The Department's efforts in implementing measures to mitigate human-leopard conflict in Maharashtra are acknowledged.
* **Action Required:** Continue managing the human-leopard conflict with existing and potentially new mitigation measures.
**Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change**
* **Impact:** The Ministry has not undertaken research on the impact of animal relocation or constituted a Leopard Task Force.
* **Action Required:** Respond to concerns raised about the relocation of leopards.
**Central Government**
* **Impact:** The Central Government is able to modify schedules of the Wild Life (Protection) Act.
* **Action Required:** Consider scientific assessment of threats to leopard populations to amend or delete entries in schedule of the Act by notification.
Key Entities Referenced
Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Indian legislation enabling the Central Government to amend the schedules regarding animal classification.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: Indian government ministry responsible for environmental protection and wildlife management, answering the questions.
Maharashtra: Indian state where leopard relocation and human-wildlife conflict are occurring.
Leopard Task Force: Proposed task force for the relocation of leopards; not yet constituted by the Ministry.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2380
TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2025
Relocation of Leopards from Maharashtra
2380. MS. PRANITI SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE:
SHRI VISHALDADA PRAKASHBAPU PATIL:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether the Government has undertaken any early warning systems, visual and
auditory deterrents and drones and surveillance systems to deter human leopard conflict
in Maharashtra and if so, details thereof;
(b) if not, whether the Government has a plan to undertake relocation of leopards from
Western Maharashtra to Vantara without less invasive measures to precede it;
(c) whether the Government has undertaken any research on the disadvantages of
relocation of wild and rare animals on their health and survival and if so, details thereof;
(d) the details of the Leopard Task Force proposed to be created for the relocation of
leopards; and
(e) whether the Government proposes to undertake a risk assessment exercise before
considering to shift leopards from Schedule I to Schedule II category of animals under
the Wildlife Protection Act and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) and (b) Protection and management of wild animals and their habitats, including management
of human wildlife conflict is primarily the responsibility of the concerned States/Union
Territories. As informed by the Chief Wild Life Warden, Maharashtra, the State Forest
Department has adopted various measures for mitigating human leopard conflict. These include
AI- enabled camera traps, AI -virtual wall, early warning systems using camera traps and alert
based monitoring, auditory deterrents, Animal Intrusion Detection and Repellent System
(ANIDERS) and thermal drone camera surveillance in human leopard conflict hotspots.
(c) and (d) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has not undertaken any
specific research project on the disadvantages of relocation of wild and rare animals on their
health and survival. Further the Ministry has not constituted any Leopard Task Force for
relocation of leopards.
(e) As per the provisions of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the Central Government may add,
amend or delete the entry in schedule of the Act by notification. These changes are based on
scientific assessment of the threats to the concerned species.