Odisha reports deaths of 34 leopards and 3 RBTs in last five years

Bhubaneswar, Dec 3: In a concerning revelation, the Odisha Assembly was informed that at least 34 leopards and three Royal Bengal Tigers (RBT) have died in the state over the past five years. Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia provided this information in response to a query from Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.

The Minister detailed that between 2019-20 and 2024-25, the causes of leopard deaths varied significantly. Of the 34 leopards that perished, 17 were victims of poaching, while three were electrocuted after coming into contact with live wires. Additionally, one leopard died in a railway accident, three were accidentally hit by vehicles, four died of natural causes, and three deaths remain unexplained.

Regarding the Royal Bengal Tigers, one was lost to poaching, another fell victim to infighting, and the cause of the third remains unknown. According to the All Odisha Tiger Estimation Report, the current population of Royal Bengal Tigers in the state stands at 30, while the All Odisha Leopard Estimation Report 2024 indicates there are 696 leopards in Odisha.