Report on the Status of Leopards in India released in February 2024
- The 5th cycle leopard population estimation carried out by the NTCA and WII with State Forest Departments, as part of the quadrennial “Monitoring of Tiger, Co-predators, prey and their habitat”.
- India’s leopard population is estimated at 13,874 individuals, representing a stable population.
- Madhya Pradesh houses the largest population of leopards in the country, followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- IUCN categorises Leopard (Panthera Pardus) as Vulnerable in its Red List of threatened species.
- South India’s first and the country’s largest leopard safari was inaugurated at the Bannerghatta Biological Park.
- The safari area is demarcated and fenced as per Central Zoo Authority guidelines.
- Eight leopards have been released into this open forest area, which features undulating terrain, natural rocky outcrops, and semi-deciduous forest.
- The area is enclosed with a 4.5-meter-high vertical chain-link mesh and inclined MS sheets.
- Bannerghatta is home to a significant population of free-ranging leopards (Panthera pardus), and highlighting these predators is essential.
- Bannerghatta National Park:
- It is located near Bangalore in Karnataka.
- The park is renowned for its rich biodiversity, including a butterfly park (one of the first enclosed butterfly parks in India), a zoo, and a safari park, where visitors can observe animals like tigers, lions, and elephants in their natural habitats.
- Additionally, the park is home to several endangered species like Asian Elephant, Indian gaur, Tiger, Sambar deer, Spotted deer, Wild dog, Wild pig, Sloth bear, Common mongoose, Pangolin etc.
- Bannerghatta National Park also supports various research initiatives and conservation programs aimed at preserving the region’s natural heritage.
Dig Deeper: Which features of the leopard allow it to flourish in almost every district of India and exist around human habitats?
