Leopard’s daytime strolls ‘no threat’ to humans in park: Experts
Male leopard was caught recently in preserve zone in the afternoon
Islamabad: The Common Asian Leopard’s daytime stroll is natural and not an abnormal movement or threat to humans venturing into the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP).
The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) recently captured a male leopard strolling in the leopard preserve zone during the afternoon at 13:30 hours which gained huge traction at the social, print and electronic media.
However, the IWMB Chairperson clarified that the movement was inside the protected zone and it was not a threat to humans entering into the national park.
Senior IWMB member and experienced naturalist and ornithologist of Pakistan, Prof Dr Zahid Baig Mirza, told APP that the approaching cool weather would induce male leopards to attempt to enter female territory. “The changes in weather conditions induce male reproductive hormones activation, that impact change in its state of mind, for breeding. It may wander even during the day time,” Dr Mirza noted.
“The dominant male keeps its territory adjacent to a mature female’s territory. During her non-breeding period, she does not allow any male to enter her territory. She allows a dominant male to visit her territory, only when her breeding hormones induce her to do so. Mature females cannot enter each other’s territories,” he said.
Vice President, Pakistan Wildlife Foundation, Safwan Ahmed, said the fact that leopards are nocturnal was becoming scientifically obsolete both in the cases of African and Common Asiatic Leopards. He said there were two major factors - the availability of food and hunger.
“If the leopard is resting on a tree and finds any deer or prey passing below it will definitely descend and chase its prey be it morning or evening,” he said.
“The daytime movement is not unusual now, rather it is occurring in India, Pakistan and throughout Asia and Africa, especially in Savannah region. We find it on National Geographic and Discovery channels’ documentaries showing leopards chasing their prey in daytime,” he added.
He pointed out that leopards had higher mortality ratio and was considered as the most aggressive among big cats.
“Tigers are the second most aggressive and kill each other in confrontations whereas lions are on the third position in this regard but have a fifty-fifty chance of death in conflicts,” he said.
An IWMB official informed that no grazing was allowed in the national park as it was barred under the Board’s law.