Rajasthan: A curious case of hungry leopards

No deer, Sambhar or Chinkara, and neither any other natural prey is available in the Jhalana forest sitting next to the bustling city of Jaipur. So, what remains the staple diet of Leopards in this dry deciduous forest? 

This beautiful mammal is invited to prey upon monkeys which prefer to spend most of their life time in city areas owing to inadequate vegetation or fruits available for them in this forest. Nilgai (bluebull) are in plenty in Jhalana but a leopard is not always successful in catching them by the throat. 

In such a scenario, the feline is having to do with birds, which abound in its habitat, especially at the water troughs created by forest authorities in this tiny reserve. Peacocks, the biggest bird in size here, is an easy prey to this mammal. 

The leopard has also been found preying upon Gray Partridge, Cormorant (at the edge of water bodies) and Greater Coucal - all ground birds sharing the same habitat with the mammal. The mammal was observed consuming a squirrel as well. However, such species can hardly meet total requirement of a leopards’ daily need.

A Leopard normally consumes about 20 to 25 kg of meat from a natural prey which it doesn’t find in Jhalana. To have a full meal, after sun sets, it slips into city’s dwellings to search for stray dogs. A dog means a prey equivalent to 5 - 7 kg. Moreover, urban dogs are observed to be having slim bodies.  

Roaming around city’s lanes at night to search for more dogs brings it in to conflict with citizens. Six persons have so far received injuries at its hands. About 30 leopards are cited as residing in the Jhalana area. On an average, two dogs per week are being consumed by them. 

So, how do we increase the prey base for the Jhalana leopards? Bird-caring and feeding citizens could come up with suggestions. 

The writer is a wildlife observer & represents the tourism &wildlife society of India