The leopard, my neighbour

How most villagers in Himachal didn’t agitate to have leopards removed despite heartbreaking events

If leopards prowled through yards and gardens and leapt over fences and hedges, many people would go into hysterics. Even some wildlife biologists would say it was a serious cause for concern. The wild animal may injure or kill people, who would likely to retaliate by slaughtering the beast. More people and leopards lose their lives in the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand than any other region. Trauma could lead to both sides losing their nerve and attacking the other. So Shweta Shivakumar was astonished to learn the villagers of 11 Himachali districts didn’t see the wild cats as a threat. Growing up in a city, she loved the beautiful and graceful animals, but she was also scared of them.

When Shivakumar debated where to position camera traps for her study, a householder in a settlement near Shimla city pointed to his doorstep. The researcher was sceptical. Surely, no wild animal would walk within brushing distance of a house full of people. But the man insisted a leopard sauntered by every evening. With doubts clouding her mind, the researcher strapped the camera by the front door. Days later, the device proved the resident right. She showed him the photograph of a leopard striding by his front door. He didn’t say, “I told you so,” as he gazed at the image, holding his toddler grandson in his arms.