The Leopard Library

With humans forcing the leopard to change its spot, two new books celebrate India’s other big cat

- Neelima Vallangi

Leopards in India are relegated to a strange oblivion despite their big cat status, captivating beauty and mysterious ways. The few times they are reluctantly thrust into the spotlight are when human-leopard conflicts flare, often ending in devastating consequences for the leopard. This vastly misunderstood and harassed animal can be found across India, with an estimated population of about 13,000. Their habitat, however, is increasingly fragmented or disappearing, leading to more and more leopards finding refuge amidst human settlements. Seeing how stealthily they live and thrive around humans, it would be easy to assume that leopards, adept at adapting to changing environments, have found a way to coexist with humans. But in Leopard Diaries, Sanjay Gubbi dispels that myth and shines a light on the creature’s elusive ways, the several conservation challenges it faces and, ultimately, the need to protect the graceful cat.

Leopard Diaries is a captivating read that deftly mixes personal narrative with research insights and critical analysis of current challenges, drawn from Gubbi’s years of work on leopard research and conservation in Karnataka. While the book meanders a little in the early quarter, it shines when Gubbi begins talking about his personal experiences, providing a fascinating glimpse into the world of conservationists and the heartbreak and triumphs that come with the profession. His account towards the end of the book of a dramatic encounter with a trapped leopard in a school, particularly stands out.