Rise in Leopard Poaching | 05 May 2025

Source: DTE 

Poachers are now targeting leopards more often because strict protection laws make tigers harder to hunt, while leopards are easier to find and less protected, making them a common substitute for tiger body parts in the international market. 

• According to CITES, around 12,000 leopards and their parts were traded between 2020 and 2023 worldwide. 
• Leopards have been eliminated from 75% of their natural habitat across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia due to poaching and habitat destruction. 
• Leopards are being poached and mislabeled as tigers in illegal wildlife trade, especially in Asia, to meet demand for traditional medicine, luxury items, and trophies. 
  • South Africa’s weak laws and captive breeding industry fuel global illegal big cat trade. 
• Leopard Population in India (2024):  
  • Total: 13,874 (1.08% annual growth since 2018).  
  • Highest population: Madhya Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.  
  • Conservation Status: IUCN Red List (Vulnerable), CITES (Appendix-I) and Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (Schedule-I).