Explained: Growing Human-Animal Conflict In Maharashtra's Sugarcane Harvest Season

It is the peak of the sugarcane harvest season in Maharashtra and according to reports, this year the state is eyeing record production. According to estimates, Maharashtra's sugarcane output of 133 lakh tonnes, which is 25 per cent higher than the previous year.

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This is great news for the farmers of the state who have struggled for years, with crop losses and low prices. The annual sugarcane harvest season in Maharashtra also coincides with the time when leopards give birth to their offspring. This results in a major human animal conflict in the region. Several animals are killed and humans get injured in the process. The authorities have recognised the problem, but there seems to be no solution for this at the moment.

Six cubs rescued this year

An increasing number of these are happening in sugarcane fields, which can lead to undesirable consequences.

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This year alone so far, in two separate incidents six leopard cubs were found in sugarcane fields and were later reunited with their mothers.

In the first case, four 2-month-old leopard cubs were found by harvesters in a sugarcane field in Kabadwadi village in Junnar. They were rescued by Wildlife SOS and the NGO later reunited them with their mother.

Wildlife SOS

Just days later, two more leopard cubs, estimated to be 7-8 weeks old were found in a sugarcane field in Ale village, situated in Otur forest range on Junnar.

A joint effort of Wildlife SOS and the Maharashtra forest department helped the cubs reunite with their mother. While the two reported incidents this year had happy endings, it is not the case always.

Wildlife SOS

Why leopards prefer sugarcane fields

As the sugarcane fields spread into more and more areas including the peripheries of forests, over the years, the number of leopard cubs being found in fields during harvests has increased.

"Maharashtra is one of the strongholds of leopards in India. With the agricultural land expanding into forests and with the loss of forest cover, they have lost a lot of their natural habitat over the years. But leopards are quick adapters and have learned to live with human settlements. The sugarcane fields provide them with an ideal setting to give birth and keep them safe from predators'," a spokesperson of Wildlife SOS told Indiatimes.

Wildlife SOS

Locals need to be sensitised

As the leopard sightings become more common in the area, the residents have also become used to them and are well aware of the possibility of encountering a big cat in the field.

"The harvesters know that there could be leopard cubs in the stubble and over the years we have trained the villagers and schools to sensitise people on what to do and what not to if they see a leopard or a cub in destress," she said.

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In 2019, in a shocking incident, five leopard cubs, aged just 10 days were burnt alive in Pune after farmers set fire to a sugarcane farm, unaware of their presence.

Since leopards are nocturnal animals, the mother could be away from the cubs during the day leaving the vulnerable young ones alone in the sugarcane field.

There have been cases where the villagers who spot the cubs in the field take them away. When the mother leopard returns at night and can't find its cubs, it enters the village in search of them.

Wildlife SOS

Open wells become killing grounds

The number of leopards falling into open wells in the villages has also increased.

"We tell the villagers to immediately inform the Forest Department or us if they spot cubs or leopards fallen in the well. In the past few years, we have also trained some villagers to become first responders - to act in case it is taking longer for us to reach the spot. This includes ensuring that the leopards don't drown," she said.

Wildlife SOS

On receiving information of leopard cubs being found, a team is dispatched to the area. The medical team first examines the cubs for any injuries. Once the team is satisfied with the health condition of the cubs, they are kept under observation till night.

Even if the leopard cubs are found in the sugarcane fields in good condition, reuniting them with their mothers is a hard task.

Wildlife SOS

Reuniting lost cubs and mothers

"The mother leopard can identify the cubs from their scent. If the cubs are touched by humans the mother may not be able to locate the cubs easily," she said.

The reunion attempts are made during the night when the mother leopard returns.

"We take the leopard cubs to the same spot where they were found. The cubs are then kept in a box to ensure that they are safe from other predators. Over the years, we have learned that sprinkling urine of the cubs near the area will help the mother reach the babies faster as they can identify the scent. If the mother doesn't show up on the first day, the same exercise is repeated for the next two nights," she said.

Wildlife SOS

Since Wildlife SOS began operating in Maharashtra the NGO has so far done more than 80 successful reunions. In the rare case of the mother leopard getting killed or abandoning the cubs, the orphans are taken to a dedicated Leopard Rescue Center.

Wildlife SOS

"We try to ensure that the cubs are reunited with their mothers, but if that doesn't happen, we keep them under our care. But since they become dependent on humans from a very young age they cannot be released back into the wild. So we try maximum to avoid this," she said.

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