21-Dec-2020: 60 percent rise in Leopard population across the Country

Releasing the Status of Leopards report in New Delhi today, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar has said that increase in Tiger, Lion & Leopards numbers over the last few years is a testimony to the conservation efforts and of the fledgling wildlife & biodiversity of the country.

India now has 12,852 leopards as compared to the previous estimate of 7910 conducted 2014. More than 60% increase in population has been recorded. The States of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra recorded the highest leopard estimates at 3,421, 1,783 and 1,690 respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Javadekar remarked that monitoring of the tiger in India has clearly shown its umbrella role in the ecosystem, which has shed light on other charismatic species like the Leopard.

India's world record tiger survey also estimated the population of leopards and the tiger range was found home to 12,852 (12,172-13,535) leopards. They occur in prey rich protected areas as well as multi-use forests. A total of 5,240 adult individual leopards were identified in a total of 51,337 leopard photographs using pattern recognition software. Statistical analysis estimates the leopard population at - 12,800 leopards within the tiger's range.

The leopard was estimated across forested habitats in tiger range areas of the country but other leopard occupied areas such as non-forested habitats (coffee and tea plantations and other land uses from where leopards are known to occur), higher elevations in the Himalayas, arid landscapes and majority of North East landscape were not sampled and, therefore, the population estimation should be considered as minimum number of leopards in each of the landscapes.

Tiger has not only served as an umbrella species but even its monitoring has helped evaluate the status of other species, like the leopard. The National Tiger Conservation Authority-Wildlife Institute of India(NTCA-WII) shall be reporting on several other species shortly.

7-Feb-2020: Habitat loss felled leopards

A scientific study on the genetic analysis of leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) across the Indian subcontinent was conducted by scientists from the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS India) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

The genetic data from leopards were used to investigate population structure and patterns of decline. Genetic analyses showed four sub-populations — Western Ghats, Deccan Plateau-Semi Arid, Shivalik and Terai region with high genetic variation.

The study involved a probe into the demographic history of each sub-population and compared the genetic decline analysis with countrywide local extinction probabilities.

Worryingly, the leopard population, perceived to be stable due to broad geographic distribution, may have suffered a possibly human-induced population decline of 75% to 90% in the last 120 to 200 years. This decline marks a catastrophic decline. The major factors that have contributed to this decline are mostly due to human activities:

• Conflicts with humans
• Habitat loss and the subsequent decline in the availability of prey.
• Poaching

The population decline in a species seen as wide-ranging and locally abundant suggests that leopards and their conservation efforts need urgent attention. An initiative similar to ‘Project Tiger’ is required for leopards also.