
GREEN MINUTE NEWS:
A comprehensive research study reveals the intricate dynamics of human-leopard conflict in Himachal Pradesh, India. The research studies by Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) highlights the tangible and intangible impacts of these interactions.
In fact, the study examined the risk pathways and outcomes of leopard attacks on humans, from tangible physical injuries to intangible psychological impacts, in Himachal Pradesh.
The research revealed:
- 74% of attacks on humans were non-predatory, typically resulting in minor injuries.
- But predatory attacks: 26% of cases, were far more severe.
- Out of this, 7% that is 24 cases were predominantly on adolescents under 15 years.
Further, the CWS study identified three major factors influencing attack outcomes:
- the nature of the attack (predatory or non-predatory),
- the victim’s age, and
- proximity to spatiotemporal conflict hotspots.
The research study titled, ‘Charting risk pathways of leopard attacks on people: A decision tree approach’, was published in Human Dimensions of Wildlife on 8th January 2025. The study led by Shweta Shivakumar as part of her doctoral research at the Centre the Wildlife Studies and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India. Conducted over an 11-year period, the research documented 344 leopard attacks on people, providing a detailed analysis of the factors influencing severity of human injury and community perceptions.

The research findings revealed:
- Most attacks on humans (74%) were non-predatory and resulted in minor injuries.
- Predatory attacks were rare (7%)
- Adolescents under 15 years were at greater risk with severe outcomes (death) due to their size (about 30 kg)
- They were nearly 88% more likely to experience fatal or grievous injuries compared to adults.
- More than half of the respondents highlighted significant intangible impacts, including fear, anxiety, and behavioural changes.
- These effects disrupted daily routines, with many avoiding outdoor activities like farming or sending children to school, due to perceived risks of leopard attacks.
- Most leopard attacks occurred at night during routine activities.
- These affected low-income individuals who made up 66% of victims due to their greater exposure during outdoor livelihood activities.
Lead author Shweta Shivakumar says, ” This study detected that the majority of the attacks on people by leopards were non-predatory and led to minor injuries. Unfortunately, the attacks were 60% of the time on lower-economic strata families who spend a big portion of their time outdoors for fodder grass collection, grazing livestock, firewood collection, walking to town centres. The recovery potential of such families financially is also limited. There is room for better supporting such families that face conflict in this landscape.”

The study also calculated the lifetime risk of leopard attacks for residents of Himachal Pradesh.
It found that 9.96 people experienced a high-impact attack (death or grievous injury) per 100,000 people, while the 20.91 people experienced a low-impact attack (minor injury) per 100,000 people.
More than 50% of respondents reported intangible impacts, such as fear, anxiety, and behavioural changes, including reluctance to farm or send children to school along perceived dangerous paths. In some cases, families abandoned agricultural activities entirely due to recurring leopard presence.
VOICES OF AFFECTED PEOPLE
This study amplifies the voices of affected communities and provides data-driven pathways to reduce conflicts. As people continue to expand into wildlife habitats, these findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, conservationists, and local authorities to develop data driven approaches that balance human safety with wildlife conservation.
The Co-authors of the study include Dr Vidya Athreya, Wildlife Conservation Society-India, India; Nikita Yardi, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India; Dr Morten Odden, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway; Sat Pal Dhiman, Government of Himachal Pradesh; and Dr Krithi K Karanth, Centre for Wildlife Studies, and Duke University.
(PHOTO CREDIT: FIRST PHOTO by SAGAR GOSAVI, CWS, SECOND PHOTO by SHWETA SHIVAKUMAR THIRD PHOTO AVIJAN SAHA, CWS)