Indian leopard: Difference between revisions

Indian Leopard
	File:Leopard on tree stump2.jpg
Conservation status
	; Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Felidae
Genus:	Panthera
Species:	P. pardus
Subspecies:	P. p. fusca
Trinomial name
	Panthera pardus fusca;

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The Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the five big cats found in India, apart from Asiatic lion, Bengal tiger, snow leopard and clouded leopard.

In 2008, the

IUCN classified leopards as “Near Threatened”, stating that they may soon qualify for the “Vulnerable” status due to habitat loss and fragmentation, heavy poaching for the illegal trade of skins and body parts in Asia, and persecution due to conflict situations. They are becoming increasingly rare outside protected areas. The trend of the population is decreasing.^[1]

Distribution and habitat

On the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas, Indus and Ganges rivers form natural barriers to leopard dispersal.^[2] They are distributed all over India, in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and parts of Pakistan. They inhabit tropical rain forests, dry deciduous forests, temperate forests and northern coniferous forests up to an altitude of 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) above sea level, bordering snow leopard habitat.

Threats

A significant immediate threat to wild leopard populations is the illegal trade in poached skins and body parts between India, Nepal and China. The governments of these countries have failed to implement adequate enforcement response, and wildlife crime remained a low priority in terms of political commitment and investment for years. In India, 978 seizures revealed 2766 poached leopards between 1994 and August 2006. There are well-organised gangs of professional poachers, who move from place to place and set up camp in vulnerable areas. Skins are rough-cured in the field and handed over to dealers, who send them for further treatment to Indian tanning centres. Buyers choose the skins from dealers or tanneries and smuggle them through a complex interlinking network to markets outside India, mainly in China.^[3]

In Nepal, seizures revealed 147 poached leopards between April 2003 and July 2004. These seizures confirm Kathmandu’s role as a key staging point for illegal skins smuggled from India bound for Tibet and China.^[4]

In China, seizures revealed more than 714 poached leopards between July 1999 and October 2003. It is likely that these seizures represent a tiny fraction of the total illegal trade, with the majority of smuggled skins reaching their intended end market.^[4]

Despite being the most widespread cat, the Indian leopard faces several types of threat. The animal shares its habitat with

Asian elephants, hyenas, and wild dogs

. These animals may kill leopard cubs given a chance. In addition, lions and tigers may even attack a full-grown leopard.

Apart from its natural enemies, the leopard's main threat is people due to loss of habitat and poaching. In some parts of India, the big cat thrives alongside human settlements, where it may prey on domestic livestock resulting in human-leopard conflict. These conflicts have increased in recent years due to human population growth. To avoid such problems, India's Forest Department regularly sets up traps in potential conflict areas and release the captured leopards in an appropriate habitat away from settlements.

References

Athreya, V., Belsare, A. (2007) Human - Leopard Conflict Management Guidelines. Kaati Trust, Pune, India. download PDF
Pandit, M. W.; Shivaji, S.; Singh L. (eds.) (2007) You Deserve, We Conserve: A Biotechnological Approach to Wildlife Conservation. I.K. International Publishing House, New Delhi. book preview

^
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Retrieved April 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
)

^ Miththapala, S., Seidensticker, J., O'Brien, S. J. (1996) Phylogeographic Subspecies Recognition in Leopards (P. pardus): Molecular Genetic Variation. Conservation Biology 10 (4): 1115–1132. pdf
^ Banks, D., Lawson, S., Wright, B. (eds.) (2006) Skinning the Cat: Crime and Politics of the Big Cat Skin Trade. Environmental Investigation Agency, Wildlife Protection Society of India. pdf
^ ^a ^b Banks, D. (2004) The Tiger Skin Trail. Environmental Investigation Agency pdf

External links

Leopards .:. wild-cat.org -- Information about research and conservation of leopards in Asia

[iucn-1] 
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Retrieved April 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
)

[2] Miththapala, S., Seidensticker, J., O'Brien, S. J. (1996) Phylogeographic Subspecies Recognition in Leopards (P. pardus): Molecular Genetic Variation. Conservation Biology 10 (4): 1115–1132. pdf

[3] Banks, D., Lawson, S., Wright, B. (eds.) (2006) Skinning the Cat: Crime and Politics of the Big Cat Skin Trade. Environmental Investigation Agency, Wildlife Protection Society of India. pdf

[banks2004-4] Banks, D. (2004) The Tiger Skin Trail. Environmental Investigation Agency pdf

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 ==Threats==
-A significant immediate threat to wild leopard populations is the illegal trade in poached skins and body parts between India, [[Nepal]] and [[China]]. The governments of these countries have failed to implement adequate enforcement response, and wildlife crime remained a low priority in terms of political commitment and investment for years. In India, 978 seizures revealed 2766 poached leopards between 1994 and August 2006. There are well-organised gangs of professional poachers, who move from place to place and set up camp in vulnerable areas. Skins are rough-cured in the field and handed over to dealers, who send them for further treatment to Indian [[tanning]] centres. Buyers choose the skins from dealers or tanneries and smuggle them through a complex interlinking network to markets outside India, mainly in China.<ref>Banks, D., Lawson, S., Wright, B. (eds.) (2006) Skinning the Cat: Crime and Politics of the Big Cat Skin Trade. Environmental Investigation Agency, Wildlife Protection Society of India. [http://www.wpsi-india.org/images/EIA-WPSI_Skinning_The_Cat.pdf pdf]</ref>
+A significant immediate threat to wild leopard populations is the illegal trade in poached skins and body parts between India, [[Nepal]] and [[China]]. The governments of these countries have failed to implement adequate enforcement response, and wildlife crime remained a low priority in terms of political commitment and investment for years. In India, 978 seizures revealed 2766 poached leopards between 1994 and August 2006. There are well-organised gangs of professional poachers, who move from place to place and set up camp in vulnerable areas. Skins are rough-cured in the field and handed over to dealers, who send them for further treatment to Indian [[tanning]] centres. Buyers choose the skins from dealers or tanneries and smuggle them through a complex interlinking network to markets outside India, mainly in China.<ref>Banks, D., Lawson, S., Wright, B. (eds.) (2006) ''Skinning the Cat: Crime and Politics of the Big Cat Skin Trade.'' Environmental Investigation Agency, Wildlife Protection Society of India. [http://www.wpsi-india.org/images/EIA-WPSI_Skinning_The_Cat.pdf pdf]</ref>
+In Nepal, seizures revealed 147 poached leopards between April 2003 and July 2004. These seizures confirm [[Kathmandu]]’s role as a key staging point for illegal skins smuggled
+from India bound for Tibet and China.<ref name="banks2004">Banks, D. (2004) ''The Tiger Skin Trail.'' Environmental Investigation Agency [http://www.eia-international.org/files/reports85-1.pdf pdf]</ref>
+In China, seizures revealed more than 714 poached leopards between July 1999 and October 2003. It is likely that these seizures represent a tiny fraction of the total illegal trade, with the majority of smuggled skins reaching their intended end market.<ref name="banks2004" />
 Despite being the most widespread cat, the Indian leopard faces several types of threat. The animal shares its habitat with [[Asiatic lions]], [[Bengal tiger|Bengal tigers]], [[bears]], [[wolves]], [[Asian elephants]], [[hyena]]s, and [[dhole|wild dogs]]. These animals may kill leopard cubs given a chance. In addition, lions and tigers may even attack a full-grown leopard.