Where leopards occur in habitats dominated by their larger cousins, the tigers, they become extremely nocturnal and shy and are rarely seen during the day. The leopard, being a formidable predator, is treated by the tiger as competition for food and territory and a tigress with cubs takes no chances with leopards, for the safety of her litter. Leopards are not only known to be killed by the tigers but have also been recorded being eaten by the larger feline. Being pushed to its limits, and in order to survive and co-exist with the tiger, the leopard uses its ability to climb trees and leads primarily an arboreal life. In tiger country, they are seldom seen on the ground and prefer to carry their prey up in the trees to peacefully feed.
It is rare to come across a leopard in Corbett Tiger Reserve, though as per the official data, there are over 100 leopards in the reserve. On a recent safari to Dhela Tourism Zone, Jim’s Jungle Retreat naturalist Jeewan Routela spotted a Leopard in a tree and recorded this footage.
A leopard in the tree
