Project Overview

Small wild cats like Jungle Cat and Leopard Cat are in constant threat by humans in this area as they predate upon poultry and livestock. Animals take advantage of poor husbandry practices in the community to chance upon chickens, ducks that often results in getting trapped, injured or killed. Instances of snare settings and retaliatory killings are also observed from the area. The sighting of cat is considered as bad omen and people often drive over them instead of slowing the speed. It is also obvious to overlook such animals in the road as no information about their presence is displayed in any form in the highways.

Objectives

  1. To understand the conservation status (occurrence and threats) of small wild cats (Jungle cat and Leopard cat) in Mahamai area.
  2. To reduce the threats of small wild cats (Jungle cat and Leopard cat) in Dhanushadham area.
  3. To understand the driver of human-felid conflicts in both the project sites
  4. To foster conservation consciousness regarding small wild cats through awareness in local communities

A trapped leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in a poultry farm from Dhanusha

Impacts

  • 100

    Households surveyed

  • 4

    Road signs installed

  • 420

    Camera trap nights across 14 stations

  • 14

    Youth Trained

  • 1

    Hoarding boards installed

  • 1,000

    Posters distributed

The project is financially supported by The Small Cat Action Fund (SCAF), Panthera.

Portrait of Dr. Rama Mishra

Lead investigator

Dr. Rama Mishra

Project period
Aug 2023 – July 2024

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