Leopards included in Wild Life Act

NEW DELHI: In view of death of over 150 leopards in various parts of the country in last year, the Centre on Wednesday decided to include the animal in Schedule I of the Wild Life Protection Act.

There are more than 11,000 leopards in the country. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (3,499) have recorded the maximum number of leopards followed by Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal (2,168) and Gujarat (1,070), according to an official release.

The measures taken by the government to protect leopards included setting up network of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country, it added.