Forest department to launch pilot study using leopards’ radio collars to monitor survival after release
Hyderabad: With leopard capture cases rising statewide, the Telangana Forest Department has decided to deploy radio collars to track the movement of the animals after their release into the wild.
For the first time, the department will procure two radio collars under a pilot project aimed at monitoring survival rates of rehabilitated leopards. A senior official confirmed the devices—each costing about ₹1.5 lakh—are expected to be acquired within two months, pending government clearance.
Over the past two years, forest staff captured seven leopards—three each from ICRISAT and Chilkur, and one from Shamshabad. After a fitness clearance from veterinary officers at the Nehru Zoological Park, the animals were released into forested areas deemed suitable based on prey density and water availability.
Until now, the department had no mechanism to monitor their post-release movements. Leopards are typically relocated to larger habitats, some overlapping with tiger territories, with officials relying solely on assumptions of successful adaptation.
The new collars will emit tracking signals for up to a year, covering around 10,000 hectares. Signals can be received by base stations or mobile tracking units. NGOs with expertise in wildlife telemetry will assist in the study. Similar tracking systems are already in use in Karnataka to monitor elephants.
