A Camera-Trap Home-Range Analysis of the Indian Leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) in Jaipur, India

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Jhalana Reserve Forest (JRF) is engulfed by the city of Jaipur, India, with a human population of 3.9 million. Due to a continuum between human habitation and forests, frequent interactions with wildlife are inevitable. The leopard is the apex predator in JRF, sharing a habitat and resources with the human population. It is imperative to understand and study the leopard ecology to design and implement conservation strategies. We used a simple but effective and non-invasive technique—camera trapping—to identify leopards individually. The data analyzed using the minimum convex polygon (MCP) 100% method helped us estimate their home ranges. The use of camera traps was preferred over radio collaring, considering the permits of the Forest Department. We observed that males have larger home ranges than females. The females established their home ranges in the core area and on the fringes of the reserve. We discovered familial (mother and daughter) establishment of overlapping home ranges adjacent to one another. Three females who established themselves on the fringes were successful mothers raising cubs during the study period. The human population in the villages on the fringe areas share resources with the leopards, demonstrating that coexistence with predators is possible in a human-dominated landscape. ABSTRACT: The suitability of the camera trap–retrap method was explored for identifying territories and studying the spatial distribution of leopards (Panthera pardus fusca) in the Jhalana Reserve Forest, Jaipur, India. Data from two years (November 2017 to November 2019, N = 23,208 trap-hours) were used to provide estimates of minimum home-range size and overlap. We conducted home-range analysis and estimation, using the minimum convex polygon (MCP) method with geographic information system (GIS) tools. We are aware of the limitations and advantages of camera trapping for long-term monitoring. However, the limitations of the research permit allowed only the use of camera traps to estimate the home ranges. A total of 25 leopards were identified (male = 8, female = 17). No territorial exclusivity was observed in either of the sexes. However, for seven females, we observed familial home-range overlaps wherein daughters established home ranges adjacent to or overlapping their natal areas. The median home range, as calculated from the MCP, was 305.9 ha for males and 170.3 ha for females. The median percentage overlap between males was 10.33%, while that between females was 3.97%. We concluded that camera trapping is an effective technique to map the territories of leopards, to document inter- and intraspecific behaviors, and to elucidate how familial relationships affect dispersal.