Urban Leopards of Jhalana

In this land of big cats, the Indian leopard has been historically sidelined, despite being classified as a vulnerable Schedule I species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Researcher and photographer Soham Chakraborty decides to bring this magnificent feline to the fore, drawing from his fieldwork in the unique landscape of Jhalana, the first leopard conservation reserve in India, which officially kickstarted the revolutionary Project Leopard in the country in 2018. Jhalana, a forested land (about 20 sq km) in southern Jaipur, has one of the highest densities of leopards in the entire country. As per the 2022 census, there are more than 40 ‘urban’ leopards in the area. Chakraborty introduces us to some of the most beloved leopards of the reserve, gives us a vivid play-by-play of his encounters with them over the years, and draws an interesting contrast between these urban leopards and leopards across other Indian regions, while busting several myths about the animal. Urban Leopards of Jhalana is an exploration and demonstration of the largely under-researched possibilities of peaceful human-animal co-existence and how crucial it is for the conservation of vulnerable species in times of growing urbanisation.