About the Indian Leopard
The Indian leopard is the most adaptable of India's big cats, inhabiting an extraordinary range of habitats from the snow-capped Himalayas to the dry scrublands of Rajasthan and even the edges of Mumbai city. Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai supports over 60 leopards living alongside 20 million people — the highest density of big cats in a metropolitan area anywhere on earth. This versatility has made the leopard India's most widespread large predator.
Leopards are supremely stealthy and largely nocturnal, which makes sighting one an exceptional wildlife experience. The melanistic (black panther) form — caused by excess melanin — occurs in the dense rainforests of Karnataka and Kerala, where the dark coat provides camouflage in the low-light understorey. Jhalana Leopard Reserve near Jaipur, developed specifically for leopard tourism, now offers some of the most reliable big cat sightings in the country.
- Leopards are more commonly seen at dusk and dawn. Night safaris at permitted venues like Jhalana dramatically increase sighting chances.
- Scan tree branches — leopards frequently rest in forks of large trees with prey cached above ground to avoid lions and tigers.
- Karnataka's Anshi-Dandeli Reserve is the best place in the world to see the melanistic black panther form.