Escape Velocity Grants

Human–leopard conflict in the Greater Pocharam Landscape of Telangana has resulted in repeated livestock losses, heightened fear among farming communities, and retaliatory killing of over 20 leopards in the last decade. Despite the species’ ecological importance and adaptability, the absence of locally driven early-warning mechanisms has limited conflict prevention efforts in this region.

This project proposes a 3-month pilot study to test a community-led early warning and mitigation model that integrates social surveys, participatory hotspot mapping, and a physical deterrence prototype. The pilot will involve baseline community surveys to document patterns of leopard movement and human responses, followed by the prototype development of a siren-based early warning system in a confirmed hotspot village. A WhatsApp alert network will be established to facilitate rapid information sharing between trained local volunteers and residents. The pilot aims to generate baseline data, assess community acceptance, and evaluate the feasibility of scaling early warning systems as a cost-effective strategy for reducing human–leopard conflict in Telangana.