New study: SGNP has highest documented density of leopards in world
Hindustan TimesMumbai: The Sanjay Gandhi National Park, in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, has the highest documented density of leopards in the world, at about 26/100km2, a new study has found. “In TWLS, despite lower domestic dog density than SGNP, domestic dogs constituted 66.76% of the leopard’s diet. “While densities of dogs are lower in TWLS, so are the densities of leopards as well as wild prey,” the researchers have noted, adding “The differences in leopard densities, dog densities, wild prey densities, as well as the contribution of domestic dogs to leopard diet in the two PAs present a discrepancy that we have not been able to fully resolve.” One speculation offered, however, is that the availability of domestic dogs over and above wild prey leads to high leopard density in SGNP, while in TWLS, extremely low densities of wild prey led to a very high representation of dogs in leopard diet, without accompanying rise in leopards. “What’s clear is that the human dominated area of SGNP is providing cost-effective and energy-rich food resources for the leopards which increases their survival and densities,” said Surve.
History of this topic
Leopards grow 17% in U.P; actual number may be more
Hindustan Times
Leopard numbers show 8% rise from 2018 to 2022
The Hindu
Landmark studies bring elusive snow leopards back into limelight
Al Jazeera
India sees 60% increase in leopard population, says Javadekar
Live Mint)
From 8,000 in 2014, India's Leopard Population Increased to Over 12,000 in 2018: Javadekar
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