MP: Large number of leopards in Rani Durgavati Tiger Reserve

Damoh: At present, if we talk about their presence in the Tiger Reserve or normal forests spread in Damoh Sagar district, their number is still quite high. There is confirmation of their presence in the ranges of Tendukheda sub-division along with Nauradehi. To increase the number of herbivorous animals in the Tiger Reserve, herbivorous animals from other parks and sanctuaries are continuously being brought here.
There are living places in caves and trees.
Leopard is such an animal which has no area or place of residence. This is a very strong creature. Its weight is also 60 to 70 kg and in terms of strength, its agility is quite fast. It can jump 36 feet long. Most of the leopard’s habitats are in tall caves and trees. It is not capable of hunting big animals, so small animals or young cattle always remain in its sight. After hunting, the leopard takes the body of the animal to a tree and fills its stomach there.
Leopards seen with family here
There are leopards also in the Tiger Reserve and the king of the part of Damoh district which has been included in the Tiger Reserve is the leopard at present. On the other hand, if we confirm the presence of leopard in Nauradehi sanctuary, then till 2018 their number was around two dozen in Nauradehi. Sometimes they were seen by the officials of Noradehi with their children and sometimes they were captured on cameras while sleeping on trees. Before tigers, leopards were dominant in Noradehi, but due to the continuous increase in the number of tigers, the dominance of leopards has reduced considerably, because leopards are very afraid of tigers. Therefore, due to fear, the leopard moves from the area where the tiger resides to other places.
There are more than two dozen leopards
Apart from the general forest, even in Noradehi Sanctuary, leopards are more in number than tigers, but they are not counted or monitored like tigers. In the year 2022, the then DFO had told that there are leopards in Noradehi, whose number is more than two dozen, but leopards are afraid of tigers. Therefore, wherever there is a tiger, the leopard runs away. A survey of leopards has been conducted in Madhya Pradesh just a few days ago, in which the number of leopards has now doubled as compared to earlier.