Aimed at setting right the regional imbalance of wild animal population dynamics, the project will entail enhancing the availability of natural prey base in the forests as well as transmigration of both the carnivores and herbivores to suitable forest areas to restore the natural food chain.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Jagdish Prasad told Express Newsline, ``Gujarat faces a peculiar situation. While a remarkable rise in the population of panthers has been recorded, in Central Gujarat this is becoming a menace to human beings as the availability of preybase is lacking. On the other hand, the increasing population of herbivores like the Blackbuck and Bluebull in the Kutch and Saurashtra regions has led to destruction of crops. Here, we have the prey but few predators''.

The population of the wild animal peaked in 1997 with the presence of an estimated 250 panthers recorded in Vadodara and Panchmahals districts. In 1998-99, over 200 attacks on human inhabitations were recorded in the Baria, Godhra and Chhotaudepur divisions of the two districts.

The two-pronged strategy to tackle the problem will be executed in a phased manner. While the long-term plans include establishing deer breeding centres, evolving a suitable method of translocation of deers and creation of corridors between deer breeding centres and natural forests with high density of panthers' population, the short term plans include creating public awareness about wildlife, especially educating inhabitants of forest areas about the behaviour of panthers, immediate compensation of damages caused due to panther attacks and training of field staff about capturing of man-eating panthers and habitual visitors of human habitations as well as rescue operations. ``We have also also mooted a proposal to establish a zoological park at Pavagadh in Halol taluka to keep surplus panthers captured. Simultaneously, we'll identify forest areas to safely release the animals; probably places where predators are lacking,'' said Prasad.

Meanwhile, rearing of Spotted deers and Blackbucks translocated from Indroda Park, Gandhinagar, has been successfully carried out at a breeding centre established in the Samali forest complex in Godhra taluka.

According to Range Forest Official K Jadhav, the area with its varied forest ecosystem was considered befitting the habitation of Chital, Chinkara, Blackbuck, Four Horned antelope, Barking Deer and Sambhar. ``Also, no panthers have been observed in the patch of forest and the expanse is free from encroachments and human habitation, besides the proximity of the divisional headquarters, which would enable proper care of the animals''.

Enclosing of the over 2600 hectare Samali forest complex area for the breeding centre is being given priority by the department. Following this, the adaptability of the animals will be tested. The next phase will include translocation of the adapted species, including a suitable method of transmigrating the herbivore, which is a relatively less undertaken practise compared to that of carnivores,'' said Prasad.

Admitting that it would be a challenging task, Prasad said, ``As this is the first time that the forest department has undertaken such a detailed project, its execution will call for utmost circumspection. Much, however, remains under the control of the forces of nature''.