Duration of Study : 18 months – The project will be initiated from 2nd week of September, 2006
Study area : Buxa Tiger Reserve, Neora Valley National Park and
Mahananda wildlife Sanctuary (With special reference to Buxa Tiger reserve)
Reasons for choosing Buxa, Mahananda and Neora as study area
All the forests fall under Duars region of northern West Bengal. The forests consist of typical moist deciduous and evergreen tree species of terai. The undergrowth is dense and in some places inaccessible. In Buxa Tiger Reserve, there were at least two cases of capturing and releasing of Clouded leopards in the past and during 2005 there were at least two sightings of the animal by the departmental staff. Moreover, preliminary interviews with the tiger reserve staffs indicate that there are occurrences of clouded leopard in the forests, specially in the eastern ranges of the tiger reserve.
On the other hand, though not much biodiversity study has been done in Neora, yet the forest-type, the altitudinal location and occurrence of clouded leopards in nearby forests suggest fair chances of existence of the animal there.
During the floral and faunal study carried out in Mahananda in 1997, occurrences of clouded leopards were reported by the range officer and some forest guards. Some pug marks were also identified as the pug marks of clouded leopards. The nature of the habitat and the altitudinal variation is highly suggestive of occurrence of the animal in this forest.
Objective
- To study the status of Clouded Leopard in North Bengal with special reference to Buxa Tiger Reserve.
- To determine the existing threats.
