Leopard trail across Karnataka

Scientist, conservationist and writer, Sanjay Gubbi shines the light on India’s complex relationship between leopards and humans. India has the largest population of leopards in Asia and Gubbi’s research for nine years was conducted across Cauvery and MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuaries, BRT Tiger Reserve and the Bannerghatta National Park covering an area of 4,500 sq km across the southern state of Karnataka.

India is estimated to have a population of at least 20,000 leopards and Karnataka is home to some 2500 leopards according to Gubbi’s research. Besides the wildlife sanctuaries and protected forest areas Gubbi has recorded how leopards live across Mysore, Bangalore, Udupi Tumkur, Mandya, Ramanagara and different parts of Karnataka.

“The leopard is the reigning rock star of the wildlife world,” says Gubbi who tailed leopards for a decade and says that these big cats have, “communication and networking methods that would leave Mark Zuckerberg open-mouthed”.

Leopards play a huge part in maintaining the ecological balance. As they feed on small and large birds that feed on fruits and seeds and fruit-eating mammals they could act as “secondary-seed dispensers and providing an important ecosystem service”.

In parts of the Deccan Plateau, the Aravallis, the Eastern Ghats and the Vindhyas, where the tiger is absent, the leopard acts as the top predator.

The black panther is a melanistic leopard or a leopard with black fur. Its rosettes are visible to the naked eye only under oblique lights. Kabini–Nagarhole Tiger Reserve has become the black leopard-watching capital of the world.

Sanjay Gubbi is the author of the recently released Leopard Diaries – The Rossette in India. He can be found on Instagram

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