A clouded leopard in Manas. Picture credit: WWF India

Guwahati, Sept. 1: Researchers from the Northeast have found that the population of clouded leopards and common leopards in Manas National Park are increasing and its density is comparable to other parks.

The study, Abundance and density estimates for common leopard and clouded leopard in Manas National Park, Assam, was carried out by researchers working in conservation organisations of the Northeast.

The study will be published in the forthcoming issue of Oryx, an international conservation journal.

It has established a baseline to facilitate long-term monitoring of large carnivores in Manas National Park.

This is especially important for further study of the elusive clouded leopards as they are relatively rare and the hot, humid climate where they range make it difficult to track them.

The study photo captured 27 common leopards (11 males, 13 females and three unidentified) and 16 clouded leopards (four males, five females and seven unidentified) between November 2010 and February 2011.

Lead author of the study, Jimmy Borah of WWF-India, says: “For effective conservation of rare carnivores, reliable estimates of population density are essential for prioritising investment and assessing the effectiveness of conservation interventions. We used camera traps to provide the first reliable abundance and density estimates for clouded leopards and common leopards in Manas National Park.”

The density of common leopard has been reported to be 1.02 to 25.5 per 100 square km in the Indian subcontinent and that of the clouded leopard in Southeast Asia has been reported to be 9.25 per 100 square km.

“Our density estimate for the common leopard in Manas National Park is thus comparable to estimates from elsewhere,” Borah said.

He said although lots of attention and investment is put into flagship species such as tigers in the country, it is equally important that effects on other carnivores and co-predators in the region, such as the common and clouded leopards, are also taken into account in conservation planning.

“In an earlier study across the transboundary Manas region, we found that this to be the only landscape in the world with eight co-existing species of wild cats,” Borah said.

The study says Manas National Park is recuperating from the aftermath of ethnic violence but, with recent support from government agencies, including the forest department, and the involvement of NGOs and local communities, wildlife populations, including those of carnivores, are now showing signs of recovery.