Odisha’s First Independent Leopard Census Counts 696 Big Cats

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is now home to 696 leopards, according to the first-ever independent Leopard Census conducted by the state’s Forest Department. This newly released report marks a significant step in wildlife conservation, offering a clearer picture of the leopard population within the state.

Previously, estimates of leopard numbers in Odisha had varied. A report by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in 2022 recorded 568 leopards, down from the 760 noted in 2018. Concerned by these fluctuating figures, the Odisha Forest Department launched its own census to provide a more accurate assessment of the population.

For this census, the department employed 284 camera traps in key forested areas, capturing images of the leopards. In addition to the camera traps, other tracking methods such as analyzing pugmarks were used to verify the data.