A Camera-Trap Home-Range Analysis of the Indian Leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) in Jaipur, India

A two-year camera-trap study in Jaipur, India, revealed that Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) exhibit overlapping home ranges without territorial exclusivity. Analyzing 23,208 trap-hours of data from the Jhalana Reserve Forest, researchers identified 25 leopards (8 males, 17 females), finding median home-range sizes of 305.9 hectares for males and 170.3 hectares for females. While male overlap was higher at 10.33%, female overlap averaged just 3.97%. Notably, seven females displayed familial home-range overlaps, with daughters establishing territories adjacent to or within their natal areas. The study underscores camera trapping as a valuable tool for mapping leopard territories and understanding dispersal patterns influenced by familial relationships.

Kumbhojkar, S., Yosef, R., Mehta, A., & Rakholia, S. (2020). A Camera-Trap Home-Range Analysis of the Indian Leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) in Jaipur, India. Animals, 10(9), 1600. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091600