Two leopard cubs were discovered in Asola Sanctuary, indicating that wildlife is growing in Delhi's urban jungles.

 

5 january, 2023

New Delhi, Jan. 4 (PTI) Two leopard cubs were recently spotted in the Asola Bhatti Sanctuary, providing a brand-new illustration of how the audacious efforts of conservationists and the department of forests and wildlife can aid numerous wildlife species in regaining their health in the urban jungles.

Officials from the forest department reported on Wednesday that the two cubs were discovered a few days ago on a camera trap. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) posted a video of a leopard cub coming out of a tunnel inside the sanctuary on their Instagram feed.

The authorities think the sanctuary is where the kittens were born since mother cats do not often travel great distances with their young.

Since leopard sightings started a few years ago, an official said that this is the first time a cub leopard has been seen in the woods of Asola.

Eight leopards were found in the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, according to a study published in October by the wildlife department and the BHNS. This information is sufficient to imply that the large carnivore has made the urban forest its permanent home.

According to the Gazetteer of Delhi, the sanctuary did not record any leopard sightings for many years after 1940.

Other animals include the striped hyena, jungle cat, golden jackal, Indian hare, Indian boar, black buck, sambar deer, spotted deer, and hog deer among others have also been confirmed by officials.

The leopards of Asola share a small 32.71 sq km territory, and they likely also live in other woodland sections in the neighbouring Faridabad district. According to the experts, there are 4.5 leopards per 100 km in the reserve.

In the Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh, the leopard population density is 3.03; in the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, 3.1; in the Dhachigam National Park in Jammu and Kashmir, 2.8; in the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh, 12.04; and in the Mudumalayi Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu, 13.41.

The sanctuary is located on the Delhi Ridge, the northernmost section of the historic Aravalli range, which starts in Gujarat and crosses Rajasthan and Haryana before ending in Delhi. The Sariska-Delhi Wildlife Corridor connects the Delhi Ridge with the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan. TIR TIR TIR PTI GVS