Leopard Strayed from Pilibhit Tiger Reserve

• 01 May 2024

Why in News?

Recently, Forest officials captured a leopard which had strayed into Aliganj village from the nearby Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh.

Key Points

• The Pilibhit Tiger reserve is spread over the three districts of Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh.
  • It covers an area of more than 700 square km and is home to a variety of wild animals including leopards and tigers.
  • It forms part of Terai Arc Landscape in the upper Gangetic Plain.
  • The northern edge of the reserve lies along the Indo-Nepal border while the southern boundary is marked by the river Sharada and Khakra.

Leopards

• Scientific Name: Panthera pardus
• About:
  • The leopard is the smallest of the Big Cat family (of genus Panthera namely the Tiger, Lion (Panthera leo), Jaguar, Leopard, and Snow Leopard), and is known for its ability to adapt in a variety of habitats.
  • A nocturnal animal, feeds on smaller species of herbivores found in its range, such as the chital, hog deer and wild boar.
  • Melanism is a common occurrence in leopards, wherein the entire skin of the animal is black in colour, including its spots.
  • A melanistic leopard is often called a black panther and is mistakenly thought to be a different species.
• Habitat:
  • It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in small parts of Western and Central Asia, on the Indian subcontinent to Southeast and East Asia.
  • The Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is a leopard widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent.
• Threats:
  • Poaching for the illegal trade of skins and body parts.
  • Habitat loss and fragmentation
  • Human-Leopard conflict
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix-I
  • Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule-I