On Thursday, India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, praised the notable rise in the leopard population, citing it as evidence of the nation’s unwavering commitment to biodiversity. According to a report earlier this week, which was made public by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, India’s estimated leopard population increased from 12,852 in 2018 to 13,874 in 2022. According to the report, Madhya Pradesh now has 3,907 leopards, the highest number in the nation (up from 3,421 in 2018).
“Excellent news!,” Modi shared the Environment Minister’s post regarding the X report. The notable rise in leopard populations is evidence of India’s steadfast commitment to biodiversity. He said, “I commend everyone involved in the various group initiatives for wildlife protection, clearing the path for a sustainable coexistence.”
In Maharashtra, the number of cats increased from 1,690 in 2018 to 1,985 in 2022; in Karnataka, it increased from 1,783 to 1,879, and in Tamil Nadu, it increased from 868 to 1,070.
According to a statement from the environment ministry, “the Shivalik hills and the Indo-Gangetic Plains experienced a decline (from 1,253 in 2018 to 1,109 in 2022),” while “Central India shows a stable or slightly growing leopard population (8,820 in 2022 against 8,071 in 2018).
The report stated that while there was a slight decline in leopard occupancy from the Chhindwara forests, leopard occupancy increased in the Chambal and Bundelkhand regions of Madhya Pradesh, with Panna Tiger Reserve and Kuno National Park exhibiting some of the highest densities in India.
Although there are healthy leopard populations in Madhya Pradesh, the report issued a warning, stating that “effective vigilance is essential to address both targeted and unintentional poaching.” According to the report, “to ensure the continued well-being of leopard populations in the region, mitigation measures concerning linear infrastructure development projects must be effectively implemented.”
The report also demonstrated that leopards and tigers could coexist in Madhya Pradesh because of the abundance of leopards in tiger reserves like Satpura, Bandhavgarh, Pench, and Kanha.
