Research Article: Kshettry A, Vaidyanathan S, Athreya V (2017) Leopard in a tea-cup: A study of leopard habitat-use and human-leopard interactions in north-eastern India. PLoS ONE 12(5): e0177013.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0177013

Blog Author: Shreya Ray

Key Takeaways:

  • Researchers examined leopard attacks across 630 km² in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, to understand why these incidents occur.
  • By analysing 171 compensation records from the Forest Department, they identified key attack patterns.
  • 83 out of 89 attacks happened in tea gardens between January and May, aligning with the lean tea production season when maintenance activities peak.
  • Most attacks occurred between 10 AM and 2 PM, coinciding with working hours in the plantations.
  • Leopard presence was higher in areas with dense ground vegetation and lower where house density was high, but attacks did not correlate directly with higher presence.

 

Within vast green tea gardens stretching across rolling hills, along neatly pruned rows of tea bushes, workers move methodically. It’s a scene of quiet industry, a livelihood for thousands. But hidden within the dense vegetation, an elusive predator shares space; the leopard. 

For years, people in the Terai region of northern West Bengal have lived alongside leopards, but not always peacefully. Reports of attacks on plantation workers, cattle herders, villagers, and livestock have fueled fear and frustration. Are leopards becoming more aggressive? Is their presence in tea gardens increasing? And, most importantly, what can be done to prevent these encounters?

To investigate this issue, researchers studied leopard attacks in a 630 km² area in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, India. This region, dominated by tea gardens interspersed with forests, farms, and rural settlements, underwent significant ecological transformation in the late 1800s when British tea planters cleared large forest tracts for tea cultivation. Today, the landscape consists of villages and agricultural fields (21%), tea estates (35%), forests (25%), and riverbeds and fallow areas. Approximately 80% of the population resides in rural areas, relying on marginal agriculture and livestock rearing for their livelihood.

The researchers analysed 171 leopard attack compensation records maintained by the Forest Department to identify attack patterns. They mapped attack locations and interviewed 89 victims to gather insights on when, where, and how these incidents occurred. Notably, 83 of the 89 victims noted that attacks took place in tea gardens between January and May, a period when tea production slows, and maintenance activities like pruning, irrigation, and uprooting old plants take place. Most attacks occurred between midday (10:00 AM and 2:00 PM), when tea workers were most active in the fields. Interestingly, the victims were mostly men, but women engaged in tea plucking were also vulnerable, with 20% of attacks occurring during this activity. Other encounters involved livestock herders (16%), people moving within tea estates (11%), and those collecting forest products (9%).

To understand how leopards use the landscape, researchers mapped leopard presence using scat, pugmarks, scrapes, and claw marks across the region. They found that leopards occupied 68% of the study area, with their presence highest in tea gardens with dense ground vegetation and lowest in areas with high human habitation

Surprisingly, the researchers found no direct correlation between areas with high leopard presence and attack hotspots. Some tea gardens with plenty of leopard activity had few or no human attacks, suggesting that factors beyond sheer leopard numbers, such as human behavior and landscape features, play a bigger role in determining conflict. This challenges common assumptions that more leopards automatically mean more attacks and contradicts alarmist media portrayals. One particularly interesting finding was that many attacks occurred in tea gardens where leopard cubs were frequently spotted. These dense, bushy estates may serve as denning sites, bringing mother leopards and their young into closer proximity with workers. In such cases, defensive behavior rather than predation may be driving some encounters.

Additionally, there was little evidence to suggest that translocating leopards from conflict zones effectively reduced attacks, highlighting the need for further research. 

This study underscores the potential for human-dominated landscapes to support leopard conservation while also presenting challenges related to human-leopard conflicts. Importantly it also challenges alarmist media portrayals that depict leopards as inevitable threats in human landscapes. Instead, it highlights how human activities, landscape features, and seasonal patterns shape interactions with leopards. Rather than reactive strategies like translocations, a more effective approach would be to focus on  targeted research and conservation initiatives to develop and test conflict mitigation strategies in high-risk areas.

Tea gardens and forests may seem like unlikely neighbors, but with thoughtful strategies, they don’t have to be battlegrounds. Understanding when, where, and why leopard attacks happen is the first step toward reducing conflict. By combining research-driven solutions with community engagement, it’s possible to create a future where leopards and people coexist more safely, ensuring that this unique landscape remains a shared space rather than a site of fear and loss.

To access the original article, click here.