Whistle Blower
Promoting Human-Leopard Coexistence in the Tea Gardens of Northern West Bengal:
The Terai and Duars regions of northern West Bengal are a unique mosaic of small forest patches, tea gardens, agricultural lands, and human settlements. Historically reliant on the tea industry, the region has seen tourism emerge as an additional economic driver. However, one challenge that persists in this complex landscape is the recurring human-leopard conflict, especially within the tea gardens, which often serve as refuges for leopards.
Our project, implemented across four tea gardens—Damdim, Rangamati, Baintgoorie, and Manabari—aimed to establish a model of safe working practices to foster human-leopard coexistence. These gardens were chosen due to their high incidence of human-leopard interactions and have seen significant conflict over the past decade, including injuries, fatalities, and frequent leopard translocations.
Leopards frequently inhabit these plantations, especially during pruning seasons when dense canopy cover is reduced. Workers, often unaware of the leopards' presence, inadvertently provoke negative interactions. Between 2016 and 2021, 34 injuries and one fatality were reported across these gardens, with women—primarily responsible for plucking tea leaves—being the most affected.
Key Challenges
• Lack of awareness about leopards as permanent residents of tea gardens.
• Casual attitudes of workers towards safety measures.
• High reliance on trapping and translocating leopards, which often exacerbates conflicts.
• Hesitation among workers to adopt new practices due to cultural and behavioral barriers.
Whistle-Based Early Warning System
Our intervention centered around a simple yet effective idea: the use of whistles as an early warning mechanism to alert leopards and prevent surprise encounters. Initial trials showed promising results, significantly reducing negative interactions.
Implementation Steps
1. Advocacy and Collaboration
Meetings with the management of all four tea gardens secured their support for the project.
2. Orientation Programs for Labour Sardars
Supervisors overseeing plantation workers, known locally as "Labour Sardars," were trained to disseminate the whistle practice among their teams.
3. Awareness Campaigns
Awareness sessions were conducted to educate workers about leopard behavior and the importance of safety practices.
4. Whistle Distribution
Each worker was provided with a whistle to carry during their work in the plantations.
5. Monitoring and Support
Continuous monitoring and support ensured regular whistle use, addressing initial hesitations, especially among female workers.
6. Model Creation and Outreach
The success of the project was documented, with the intention of sharing the model with other tea gardens in the region through industry associations like the Dooars Branch Indian Tea Association (DBITA).
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Outcomes and Future Prospects:
The initial phase of implementation showed a noticeable reduction in human-leopard encounters and increased awareness among workers. With sustained monitoring and advocacy, the whistle-based system has the potential to become a standard safety practice across the region.
This project exemplifies how simple, community-driven interventions can address complex human-wildlife conflicts. By promoting coexistence, it not only ensures the safety of tea garden workers but also contributes to the conservation of leopards in northern West Bengal.