How to Track a Leopard

The Indian Leopard at a Glance The cat you are tracking is the Indian leopard, Panthera pardus fusca. In Kannada it is chirate; in Hindi, tendua. It is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and enjoys India's highest legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. India's 2022 leopard survey estimated about 13,874 leopards across the forested parts of the country it sampled. Karnataka counted roughly 1,879 of them, up slightly from 2018, placing it third among Indian states. Field teams walked more than six lakh kilometres of forest trails to gather that data. A grown male in Karnataka's forests usually weighs somewhere between 50 and 75 kg, with females noticeably lighter and smaller. Body length runs from about one to almost two metres, with a long tail that helps it balance on branches. The leopard is most active at dawn, dusk and through the night, which is why the first and last safari hours are prime time. Its menu is wonderfully varied. In Nagarhole, the classic studies found chital, wild pig, common langur, barking deer, mouse deer and black-naped hare all on the list. And like its African cousins, it will haul a kill into a tree, especially when a tiger is nearby. The Story: The Ghost of the Kabini Backwaters A tracking morning, as told on an Aurel Trails safari. 6:05 a.m. Mist lies on the Kabini backwaters like a grey shawl. The open Gypsy rolls through the forest gate, and the first light catches the teak trunks. Up front, our founder and big cat tracker, Raghunandan S, raises one hand. The jeep stops. Nobody speaks. He leans out over the side and studies the soft red dust of the forest road. A single rounded print sits there: four toes, no claw marks, a three-lobed heel pad. "Female," he whispers. "Fresh. The night dew has not settled in it." The rim is crisp and sharp. She passed less than an hour ago. 6:30 a.m. The pugmarks walk down the road, then turn into a dry nullah. Raghunandan does not follow them in. He asks the driver to take the loop road around, where the nullah should cross again. "A leopard walks like water," he says. "She takes the low, easy path." 6:44 a.m. At the crossing we find a drag mark: a smooth furrow through the grass, and a tuft of chital hair caught on a lantana thorn. Hearts quicken. She has made a kill. 6:51 a.m. Then the jungle speaks. From a tall jamun tree comes a harsh, repeated kaa-kaa — a langur sentinel on alarm. A chital stag stamps and gives one sharp, high bark. Somewhere behind us, a peacock screams. Raghunandan smiles for the first time. "They can see her. We cannot. Yet." 7:02 a.m. The engine is cut beside an old matthi tree on the nullah bank. Everyone scans the branches. Leaves. Shadows. Bark. Nothing. Then a long, white-tipped tail swings down from the canopy, curling slowly like a question mark. She is right above us, draped along a thick limb, the chital fawn wedged in the fork beside her. Her rosettes melt into the dappled light so perfectly that, for ten long seconds, half the jeep still cannot see her. Then her eyes open. Amber. Calm. Completely unbothered. No one breathes. Cameras click softly. For twenty minutes we sit in the presence of the most secretive cat in South India, while the sun climbs and the langurs slowly go quiet. On the drive back, Raghunandan says the line every guest remembers: "You do not find a leopard. She allows you to find her. Our job is only to read her letters." Every Aurel Trails leopard safari is built around mornings like this — patient, unhurried tracking led by people who have read these letters all their lives. Know Your Leopard: Behaviour That Shapes the Hunt To track a leopard in Karnataka, you have to think like one — and remember that here, she shares her home with the tiger. Much of what we know comes from decades of field research in Nagarhole, some of the most influential big cat science ever done in Asia. Living in the tiger's shadow. Long-term studies in Nagarhole found tigers, leopards and dholes using the same forests and hunting in similar habitats. They coexist by eating differently. Tigers lean on gaur and big sambar, while leopards and dholes prefer medium-sized prey like chital. The average leopard kill there was around 38 kg, against roughly 92 kg for a tiger. Open edges, not deep thickets. Tigers made most of their kills in moderate to dense cover. Leopards were far more willing to strike in the open — around four in ten of their kills. That is good news for you: forest edges, grassy vayals (open meadows) and the backwater shoreline are classic leopard ground. A cat that keeps its distance. Camera-trap research across the Western Ghats reserves showed that in tiger-rich Nagarhole, leopards actively avoid tigers. Where tiger signs are thick and fresh, expect the leopard to have slipped sideways — to a rocky outcrop, a tree, or the edge of a village. Tree climbers by necessity. Tigers in Nagarhole have been seen taking leopard kills. So a Karnataka leopard often eats fast or hoists its prey high into a matthi, teak or tamarind fork. A carcass in a tree is one of the surest signs a leopard is nearby. Creatures of dawn and dusk. Nagarhole's research found the cats' activity follows the activity of their prey rather than the clock alone. Chital and wild pig move at first and last light, so do the leopards. Midday, look in shade, on rocks and along thick horizontal limbs. Remarkable neighbours. Studies led by Indian scientists have shown leopards living, breeding and moving quietly through farmland and even city edges, often close to homes at night, with surprisingly few attacks on people. In Karnataka, you may find their pugmarks on a granite hill above a sugarcane field just as easily as in a tiger reserve. Mothers and cubs. Females hide cubs in rock crevices, dense lantana and hollow logs, returning again and again. Repeated tracks to one spot can mark a den. Give it a very wide berth. Masters of camouflage. Rosettes break up the outline in dappled shade. Search for shapes, not spots: the curve of a back, the hang of a tail, a pale belly or a twitching ear. Reading the Signs A leopard writes its story on the forest road, the tree trunks and the air. These are the letters Raghunandan reads. Pugmarks A leopard print shows four rounded toe pads around a large heel pad with three lobes at the back. Cats keep their claws pulled in while walking, so there are no claw marks — the quickest way to rule out a dhole, jackal, striped hyena or village dog. A front print is usually about 7–10 cm wide. Males leave larger, squarer prints; females, narrower and more oval ones. Hind feet are a little smaller and often land in or near the front print. The big confusion in Karnataka is with the tiger. A tiger's pugmark is far larger — often well over 12 cm across — with a heavier, broader heel pad. If the print would fill your whole palm and more, think tiger first. Scrapes and scent Leopards scuff shallow scrapes with their hind feet along forest roads and nullah banks, sometimes with urine or scat on top. They spray urine onto tree trunks and bushes, leaving a sharp musky smell. Favourite resting trees may carry vertical claw scratches on the bark. Scat Leopard scat is segmented and tapered, often packed with hair and small bone pieces. Fresh scat is dark and moist; old scat turns pale and chalky. Forest researchers in Nagarhole studied scats for years to learn exactly what the cats were eating. Kills and drag marks A drag mark is a broad, continuous furrow with flattened grass and scattered hair, usually heading toward cover or a tree. A carcass wedged high in a fork, with claw marks scored up the trunk below, is the classic leopard cache. Leopards often pluck fur before feeding and start at the chest or hindquarters. The jungle's alarm system In an Indian forest, the other animals are your best spotters. This network of warnings is so reliable that forest staff and researchers have long used it to locate big cats. The common langur (Hanuman langur) is the jungle's watchman. From the treetops it gives a harsh, repeated kaa-kaa or a deep "khok" bark, and it usually stares straight at the cat. When langurs climb higher than usual, a leopard — not a tiger — is the likely reason, since leopards can climb. The chital (spotted deer) gives a sharp, high-pitched bark, stamps a forefoot and raises its white tail. A whole herd staring in one direction is gold. Chital and langurs also listen to each other's warnings, so one alarm often triggers the other. The sambar gives a loud, metallic "dhank" that carries far through the forest. It is one of the most trusted big cat signals in South India. The barking deer (muntjac) lets out a dog-like bark, repeated again and again from thick cover. It can keep barking for many minutes after seeing a predator. The Indian peafowl screams a loud, panicky may-awe, often from a tree, while grey junglefowl and red spurfowl cackle frantically and burst into flight. The Malabar giant squirrel chatters loudly from high branches, and jungle babblers and drongos gather to scold one spot. The direction all these animals are looking is the single most valuable clue in the forest. Advanced Tracking Tricks from Raghunandan S These are the habits that turn a lucky sighting into a skilled find. Inside Karnataka's tiger reserves, guests stay in the safari vehicle on forest roads, so every trick here works from the jeep.

1. Age the track. Fresh prints have crisp, sharp rims. Over hours, wind softens the edges, dew settles inside, and beetles, ants or birds walk across them. A dung beetle's trail running over a pugmark means the cat came first.
2. Use the morning "clean slate". The night's breeze and the last evening safari wipe the roads. Anything on the dust at the first gate opening was made overnight — the freshest news in the forest.
3. Track with low sun. Prints read best in the first and last two hours of light, when long shadows give them depth. Keep the sun in front so the track sits between you and the light.
4. Read the stride. Evenly spaced prints mean a relaxed walk. Longer gaps and deeper toe marks mean a trot or a stalk. Prints that suddenly shorten and twist often mark a pounce.
5. Predict, don't just follow. Ask where the cat is heading: water, a known den, a favourite tree, a nullah, the backwater edge. "Drive ahead to where her line should cross the next road," Raghunandan says, "and wait."
6. Think about the tiger. Fresh tiger pugmarks on a road often push leopards to the side lanes, rocky patches and trees. When the tiger signs are thick, look one valley over.
7. Listen in layers. Switch the engine off often. Note which calls are close and which way they face. A langur and a chital calling at the same patch can pinpoint a cat to within a few trees.
8. Scan trees in a pattern. Work each big tree from the trunk outward along every horizontal limb. Look for a hanging tail, a pale belly line or a carcass silhouette.
9. Watch the scavengers. Vultures waiting in a tree but not landing, or crows and treepies mobbing one spot, can mean a leopard is guarding a kill below.
10. Learn individual cats. Every leopard carries a unique rosette pattern — the same principle Indian scientists used in Nagarhole to pioneer camera-trap counting of big cats. Guides who know each cat know who uses which road and where cubs are hidden.
11. Know the black leopard's trick. A melanistic leopard is the same species, with the rosettes still there under the dark coat. In strong sun the pattern shows faintly, like a watermark on silk. In deep shade, look for the shape, not the colour.
12. Be patient at the backwater. Along Kabini's shoreline in the dry months, waiting quietly near a known crossing often beats driving fast. The leopard moves; you let it come.

Where to Track Leopards in Karnataka The dry months, roughly February to May, are the best time almost everywhere. The undergrowth thins, animals gather near water, and pugmarks stay crisp in the dust. The cooler months from October to January are softer and greener, and still very rewarding. Kabini, Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. This is the heart of leopard country in South India. The Kabini backwaters draw chital, elephants and gaur to the shoreline in summer, and the leopards follow. Kabini is also where a famous black leopard has been photographed many times, sometimes resting high in a tree. Best from October to June, with the backwater season peaking from March to May. Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Drier, more open deciduous forest beside Nagarhole, with good visibility and steady leopard sightings along the roads. Melanistic leopards have also been recorded here. Best from October to May. Kali Tiger Reserve (Dandeli–Anshi). Dense, wet evergreen forest on the Kali river — Karnataka's stronghold for black leopards. A forest department camera-trap study found that about one in seven leopards photographed here was melanistic, an unusually high share. Sightings take more patience in the thick green, which makes every one feel earned. Best from October to May. Bhadra Tiger Reserve. A quieter reserve in the Western Ghats with rolling hills, bamboo and a large reservoir. Leopards are here in good numbers, and black leopards have been reported, though rarely. Best from October to May. Biligiri Ranganatha Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve. A meeting point of the Western and Eastern Ghats, with a remarkable mix of habitats. A wild, less-visited place for travellers who like their leopards with solitude. Best from October to May. The granite hills of north Karnataka. Around Koppal and the Hampi landscape, leopards live among boulder hills, temple ruins and farmland, much like the rocky kopjes of Africa. Here you see how leopards share space with people. Best from October to March, before the summer heat. Safari timings, zones and closures are set by the Karnataka Forest Department and change from year to year, so always confirm dates when planning. Ethics, Safety and Photography Etiquette The best sighting is one the leopard never minds. Every Aurel Trails safari follows these rules, alongside the Karnataka Forest Department's own regulations. Respect the cat. Never get down from the vehicle inside a tiger reserve; it is both unsafe and against park rules. Keep a respectful distance, especially near dens and cubs. Never block a leopard's path or come between it and its kill. Never call, bait or play recorded sounds to attract a cat, and never chase a moving animal down the road. Share the sighting. When several jeeps gather, give space, rotate fairly and switch off engines. A calm, quiet sighting lasts far longer than a crowded one. Stay safe. Stay seated and keep arms inside the vehicle. Speak softly and avoid sudden movements. Wear forest colours — khaki, olive and brown — and leave the white and bright shirts at the lodge. In the granite hill country outside reserves, remember that leopards live close to villages; follow local guidance and never walk alone at dusk. Photograph well. Bring a 100–400 mm or longer lens, as leopards are often in trees or cover. A beanbag on the jeep's side rail keeps long shots steady. Turn off the flash and set your camera to silent. Shoot in the golden first and last light, and always focus on the eyes. Track a Leopard with Aurel Trails Our private leopard safaris in Karnataka turn this guide into a lived experience, with days shaped around the cat, not a schedule. • Safaris planned and led with our founder and big cat tracker, Raghunandan S, and his team. • Hand-picked lodges in Kabini, Bandipur, Kali, Bhadra and beyond. • Patient, unhurried tracking that reads pugmarks, kills and alarm calls the traditional way. • Photography-friendly planning, with beanbags, charging and tips for low-light shooting. • Conservation-first travel that supports local communities and the forest staff who protect these cats. Ready to read the letters of the jungle? Plan your Karnataka leopard safari with Aurel Trails.

Kabini leopard safari, Indian leopard, Panthera pardus fusca, black panther Kabini, leopard pugmarks, best places to see leopards in India, Nagarhole leopard, Kali Tiger Reserve black leopard, luxury leopard safari India Creative tags: #ShadowInTheTeak · #ChirateTrails · #KabiniLeopard · #ReadTheJungle · #BlackPantherKabini · #KarnatakaWild · #LettersOfTheForest · #AurelTrailsBigCats · #IndianLeopard · #WesternGhatsWild Image alt text idea: Indian leopard resting on a tree branch at sunrise in Kabini, Karnataka, on an Aurel Trails safari Open questions • Which Karnataka reserves and lodges does Aurel Trails actually offer? Trim the destinations section to match. • Please confirm Raghunandan S's preferred title and a short bio line for the author box. • The story is written as a representative morning; confirm Raghunandan is happy with the quotes in his name. • Add your own leopard photographs to the story and destination sections.