| With 1.08% growth every year, leopard population in India reaches 13,874 | | |
Agencies
NEW DELHI, Feb 29: India's leopard population has reached 13,874, with 1.08 percent per year growth between 2018 and 2022, as per a report released by the Environment Ministry today. According to the report released by the Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, 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).
The fifth cycle of leopard population estimation (2022) in India focused on forested habitats within 18 tiger states, covering four major tiger conservation landscapes. Non-forested habitats, arid areas, and high Himalayas above 2000 msl (30% area) were not sampled for leopards.
"India's leopard population is estimated at 13,874 (range: 12,616 - 15,132) individuals, representing a stable population in comparison to the similar area being sampled in 2018 with 12852 (12,172-13,535) individuals," the report mentioned. This estimate represents a population of 70 percent of leopard habitat, the Himalayas and semi-arid parts of the country, which are not tiger habitats, were not sampled.
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). If we look at the area that was sampled both in 2018 and 2022 across India, there is a 1.08 percent per annum growth," the report mentioned.
The largest growth rate was in Central India and the Eastern Ghats at 1.5 percent, as per the report.
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