This is the second article from our two-part series titled Media Representation of Leopards highlighting CWS’ past work on using media reports for leopard conservation and science.

Authors: Vinni Jain, Saloni Bhatia, and Dr. Krithi K. Karanth

Leopards are majestic, resilient, and elusive. They instantly invoke images of dense forests and wildlife reserves packed with safari-goers, waiting with bated breath to catch a glimpse of the rare carnivore. We tend to visualize a geographical divide between wild animals and people, but is this true?

 

A study led by Dr. Vidya Athreya and scientists at the Centre for Wildlife Studies examined how leopards are distributed across the state of Karnataka with the help of a unique source of information – the media. 

Athreya and her team collected news reports related to leopards from national and regional newspapers, and used them to identify sub-districts in Karnataka where leopards were seen. Since news reports can only capture some sightings of leopards, the authors applied an analytical approach that accounts for incomplete information. They determined where leopards were most likely to occur, and categorized the news reports based on the type of incident being reported, i.e. leopard sighting, leopard attack, poaching, etc.

Incredibly, they found that leopards inhabit almost half (47%) of Karnataka’s area outside protected wildlife reserves. This contradicts the popular notion that leopards outside of the forest are ‘straying’ from their ‘natural habitats’; in fact, they live alongside people in many places. 

 The close proximity of leopards can lead to tricky situations. Leopards may attack people or their livestock, and are themselves at risk due to poaching, road accidents, and retaliatory killing from such direct contact. Interestingly, this research established that although encounters between leopards and people did take place, instances of conflict were relatively low across the state.

As a response to leopard encounters, authorities sometimes capture and relocate leopards due to media scrutiny and public pressure. However, this study found that around 40% of captures were triggered by mere sightings of leopards rather than cases of conflict, and were therefore unnecessary. They found that sub-districts with high rates of relocation also had high leopard attack numbers. They highlight that capture and relocation of leopards might actually be making them more aggressive, leading to increased attacks. 

Many of these research findings provide key insights for improving rules and regulations regarding carnivore management. Present wildlife management practices do not take into account the widespread occurrence of leopards in human-dominated areas. To enhance coexistence, Athreya and the team recommend implementing proactive measures, like increasing people’s tolerance for wildlife, expanding habitats, and ensuring safety, rather than reactive measures like relocation, which likely only worsen the situation. 

Cool Science Tip: Using media reports to collect large-scale data can save time and effort. Rather than surveying all of Karnataka on foot, the authors used internet searches for their study.

Research Article: Spotted in the News: Using Media Reports to Examine Leopard Distribution, Depredation, and Management Practices outside Protected Areas in Southern India – Vidya Athreya, Arjun Srivathsa, Mahi Puri, Krithi K. Karanth, N. Samba Kumar, K. Ullas Karanth – PLOS One, 2015

Find the original research paper here.

Find the Kannada translation here.