wildlife encounter

“Aaja, Aaja, Aaja”: They Were Recording Video Of Leopard In Field, It Mauled 3 In the world of selfies and generally a world that is filled with cameras, most wild encounters involving nature are embraced in ways that strike between thrill and danger. The recent incident by this description occurred in India involving a group of people shooting the video of a leopard in a field. A documentary project about the grandeur of the animal in his natural habitat ended up being a thoroughly terrifying experience when the leopard charged, injuring three in the process. This is the incident that reminds everyone how fragile the balance between humans and wildlife may be and what can happen once this balance is disrupted. The Incident: A Brief Synopsis The viral video capturing the leopard attack catches some chilling moments before the mauling of three people in a simple sequence. Starting with a group of people – possibly some villagers or tourists-watching a straying leopard in a field nearby. These people are seen shouting at the leopard, and one of them repeating over and over again, “Aaja, Aaja, Aaja,” a futile endeavor to persuade the wild animal to move closer. However, things went sour with the leopard, which seemed to be cornered or threatened, as it dashed into the group, followed by a dreadful attack. The background views were filmed in the chaotic scenes as the leopard was seen unleashing its wrath on the people surrounding it. The forest officials arrived during the rescue of victims, with three of them receiving bad injuries. The victims were taken to the local hospital for treatment. This is no isolated incident; rather it is part of the growing trend of human-wildlife conflicts that, in recent years, have taken a threatening dimension in regions where the quests of people for shelter and rapid urbanization have crept over the natural habitats of wild animals. In this regard, leopards increasingly drive into human habitation in urban and rural areas, and their driving into places causes a higher rate of such conflicts. Major reasons that conflict has upsurged include the reduction of wild animal natural habitats resulting from deforestation, agriculture, and infrastructure development. Since leopards are highly adaptable, they are compelled to move closer to human settlements in search of food and shelter. In the rural areas, leopards majorly prey on livestock, hence creating a direct conflict with local communities. It is estimated that the country also accommodates a large population of wild leopards. Incidents of human-leopard conflict have been sharply on the rise during the last decade. They cross the border of villages, farms, and even cities since they lose their natural habitats. Most leopards will try to avoid humans, but the close proximity to human settlements increases the chances of deadly confrontations. The Social Media Effect: Promoting Irresponsible Behavior?The “Aaja, Aaja, Aaja” incident throws light on another disturbing trend: the role of social media in dangerous conduct. The advent of mobile phones and the rapidly increasing number of applications on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube make people more vulnerable to get a video of wild animals rather than retiring to a safe distance. In this case, the people seemed more interested in taking a record of the leopard and coming closer to the animal rather than moving backward from the dangerous situation. People tend to take unnecessary risks to capture something unique for their social media. Many wild experts have expressed their sorrow over how social media has driven people to approach wildlife with no risk for themselves. Most near-miss incidents between man and leopards or tigers become popular with millions of views, likes, and shares on various platforms. Alas, such social validation begets clueless behavior, as people act with their safety compromised only for the satisfaction in the moment. Leopard Behavior and Aggression Leopards, in the natural habitat, are shy and solitary. They do not like man and are nocturnal and stealthy. But once in a threatening or cornered condition, leopards can be deadly aggressive. The reasons for the manifestation of such aggression in leopards can indeed vary, but the resultant aggression is normally related to the nature of the animal and its instinct for self-defense. In the wild, a leopard would instinctively run away from a human. However, if a leopard is threatened, surrounded, or stressed, then it may turn and attack to defend itself. In this case, they could have unknowingly threatened the leopard by calling out to it and trying to film it up close. This would have skyrocketed stress levels, raising the possibility of the animal striking back. The attack may have been caused by other several possible reasons as well. The leopard could have been starving, injured, or ill, for whatever reason, thus more prone to attacking when confronted with human presence is met with. Dazed and on high alert, stray leopards entering human habitations raise the stakes of a violent incidence. Authorities’ Role and Conservational Efforts Such incidents raise a question about efficient wildlife management and education on how to deal with wild animals. Often, such incidents are left in the hands of local authorities, as happened in this case, when the forest officials arrived after the attack. It is considered that Indian states are the responsibility of the forest departments in tracking and tranquillizing a leopard whenever they stray into a human settlement. Authorities sometimes use traps or employ drugs administered to the animal with the help of a tranquillizer dart for capturing and moving leopards within areas to regions where their presence is recurrent. Still, that cannot ensure no human-wildlife conflicts occur. There were very few wildlife conservation efforts in India, protecting endangered species such as the leopard and, by doing so, ensuring that humans living in areas prone to encounters with wildlife were safe. Initiatives by the state have been undertaken in a few regions to educate the local community about cohabiting with leopards and other wild life. This includes educating the masses on how to respond if