LAKHIMPUR KHERI, Feb. 24 -- In a first for the buffer zone of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, authorities here have started radio-collaring leopards captured from conflict areas before releasing them back into forests, amid rising concerns over frequent sightings near human habitations. As part of an experimental measure, a female leopard captured from the Dhaurahra range was fitted with a global positioning system (GPS) and very high frequency (VHF-enabled) radio collar before being released into the forests of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary on Saturday. While radio-collaring tigers and rhinos is routine monitoring, officials said this is the first time leopards have been radio-collared in the reserve's buffer zone. Officials said four leopards and a tiger have been captured from the buffer zone over the past fortnight, and more leopard movements have been reported. This development comes during the ongoing sugarcane harvesting season, when standing crops often shelter the big cats. Kirti Chaudhary, deputy director, Dudhwa buffer zone, said the move was driven by the need for real-time tracking data after the animals are released. "We shifted captured leopards from Dudhwa forests in Kheri to KWS forests in Bahraich to discourage them from returning to human habitations, but we had no confirmed data on how they behave in a new habitat," she told Hindustan Times. "With the radio-collar, we would be able to collect scientific data about released leopards' behaviour besides keeping a real-time tracking of their movements." As per the 2025 wildlife estimation report, the number of leopards in Dudhwa buffer zone has increased to 51 from 21 in 2022. Officials said the rise has posed challenges for both forest authorities and residents living near reserved forest areas. Leopards often stay along forest peripheries to avoid encounters with tigers, and expansive sugarcane fields provide cover. However, their presence in agricultural fields frequently results in human-animal conflict, particularly during harvesting. Forest officials claim that security is provided to farmers during cane harvesting, though staff shortages make continuous monitoring difficult. Authorities acknowledged that capturing and relocating big cats is not a permanent solution, as their movement within the buffer zone cannot be fully restricted. Chaudhary said, "Crop rotation near reserved forests with active participation and cooperation from local farmers and developing a sense of co-existence in the buffer zone are the need of the hour."...