Context: India’s estimated leopard population rose from 12,852 in 2018 to 13,874 in 2022, but the number of rosetted felines declined slightly in the Shivalik hills and the Indo-Gangetic Plains, the Union Environment Ministry.

Key-highlights of the Report

• The report is based on the fifth cycle of the leopard population estimation, conducted in 2022. 

• Madhya Pradesh houses the largest population of leopards in the country: 3907 (2018: 3421), followed by Maharashtra (1985), Karnataka (1,879) and Tamil Nadu (1,070).

• Tiger Reserves or sites with the highest leopard population are, Nagarajunasagar Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh), followed by Panna (Madhya Pradesh), and Satpura (Madhya Pradesh).

• Central India shows a stable or slightly growing population of leopards (2018: 8071, 2022: 8820), Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains experienced a decline (2018: 1253, 2022: 1109).

• Growth: The largest growth rate was in Central India and the Eastern Ghats at 1.5 percent.

• Decline: However, there is a 3.4 percent decline per year in the population growth of leopards in the Shivalik Hills and the Gangetic Plains.

About Leopard

• Leopard (Pathera pardus) is one of the five big cat species of the genus Panthera.

• They are the smallest of the large cats, which includes lions, tigers, and jaguars.

• Habitat: Leopard habitats include forests, subtropical and tropical regions, savannas, grasslands, deserts, and rocky and mountainous regions. They can live in both warm and cold climates. Of all the big cat species, leopards are the only known species that live in both desert and rainforest habitats.

• Geography: Their range covers a large stretch of Africa, parts of the Middle East, and Asia, including China, India, and eastern Russia.