Mumbai logs world's highest leopard density

In what comes as a major boost to Mumbai, the number of leopards at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) has gone up to 40.

This essentially means that Mumbai now has the highest leopard density in the world. "We have now 40 leopards in the SGNP. We are further analyzing the surveys and studies that we have conducted," told Anwar Ahmed, the chief conservator of forests, SGNP to DH on Saturday.

Leopard density

Asked whether it is the highest leopard density in the world, he said, "Yes. With 40 leopards in SGNP, the leopard density is the highest."

The study has been conducted by Nikit Surve, a researcher with the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.

During the research, among other things, camera traps were used so as to get correct results.

In 2015, a study has found presence of 35 leopards. In fact, the SGNP that is sandwiched between the far Eastern and Western suburbs of Mumbai, is the only of its kind of national park in the world to be located in the metropolitan limits.

The SGNP spread across 103 sq km in Mumbai and some parts of neighbouring Palghar and Thane districts, is home to more than 274 species of birds, 35 species of mammals, 78 species of reptiles and amphibians, 170 species of butterflies, several species of fish and a staggering 1,300 species of plants.