Junnar Set for India’s First Leopard Sterilisation Trial Focusing on 115 Female Big Cats

Pune, 17th November 2025: A proposed leopard sterilisation project in Junnar — seen as a potential game-changer in tackling Maharashtra’s escalating human–wildlife conflict — has received technical approval from a senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). The project, however, is still awaiting the final nod from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

If sanctioned, this would be the first project in India to attempt population control in wild leopards through scientific birth-control methods. Junnar, one of the state’s most conflict-prone regions, has reported a steady increase in leopard encounters in recent years.

Regular sightings near farms and villages, livestock losses and sporadic human attacks have compelled the Forest Department to explore new tools to reduce friction between residents and the big cats.

The sterilisation proposal was originally drafted by the Junnar Forest Division as a pilot initiative and was forwarded by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) to the MoEFCC in June 2024. The ministry then sought WII’s expert evaluation to understand whether such a programme could be ethically, practically and scientifically implemented on a protected species.

Following an extensive review, WII submitted its assessment, expressing cautious support — but only for a carefully monitored pilot within Junnar. A senior WII scientist, who was part of the review team, said their analysis relied heavily on long-term leopard movement data collected from the region over the past three to four years.

“We were asked to analyse whether fertility-control measures could be applied to leopards in a realistic and humane way,” the scientist said. “Based on Junnar’s specific landscape and available data, a controlled experiment appears feasible. But the actual viability of the method will become clear only after implementation, because this is a long-duration intervention.”

The proposal was conceptualised by forest officer Amol Satpute during his tenure as Deputy Conservator of Forests in Junnar. Currently posted in Satara, Satpute said the pilot aims to target 115 female leopards captured from five high-conflict zones in the tehsil.

“We have recommended the use of immunocontraception for sterilisation,” Satpute explained. “WII has supported the idea, but the exact number of animals to be included will depend on the ministry’s approval. With WII’s technical clearance, we are hopeful that MoEFCC will take a favourable decision.”

Immunocontraception — a non-surgical method already used in wildlife management globally — triggers an immune response in the animal that temporarily prevents reproduction. If the Junnar project proceeds, it will mark the first attempt to use the technique on leopards anywhere in India.

Pune Chief Conservator of Forests Ashish Thakare confirmed that the sterilisation proposal is one among several conflict-mitigation projects submitted to the MoEFCC by the Maharashtra Forest Department. However, he said his office has not yet received any official communication regarding WII’s report.
“I’m aware that discussions are happening, but we have not received the WII findings through formal channels from either the Centre or the State,” Thakare said.

Beyond Junnar, several districts — including Dhule, Ahilyanagar, Nashik and Solapur — have been reporting an uptick in leopard encounters, some of them fatal. Similar challenges are emerging in other states as well, such as West Bengal, prompting forest officials across India to watch the Junnar project closely. Some states have reportedly approached Maharashtra for insights into its developing conflict-mitigation strategies.

Wildlife experts note that sterilising a Schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, involves complex ethical and ecological considerations. If successful, the Junnar pilot could influence future policy and reshape how India responds to growing human–leopard conflict.

For now, the project hinges on the MoEFCC’s decision, which will determine whether the experimental sterilisation programme moves from proposal to reality.