When leopards become urban neighbours… How Indore is redesigning wildlife governance

When leopards become urban neighbours…

By Tina Khatri | Indore

More than 500 human–wildlife conflict incidents and over 300 wildlife rescue operations in just three years were reported in Indore. These numbers are a wake-up call, marking a shift in how a rapidly growing urban area must govern wildlife in urbanising forest landscapes.

For a single forest division, the scale is unusually high, comparable to conflict levels typically seen in far larger districts. Wildlife encounters here are no longer sporadic disruptions — they have become a persistent urban reality.

Human–wildlife interaction is now a structured feature of Indore’s urban landscape.

Key data at a glance

Parameter	Number
Total human–wildlife conflict incidents (3 years)	500+
Total wildlife rescue operations	300+
Average conflict per month	14
Average rescues per week	~2
Primary species involved	Leopards, snakes, monkeys, langurs

Why the numbers matter

“Wildlife encounters in Indore are no longer episodic events. They have become a structural feature of the city’s landscape.” — Pradeep Mishra, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer, Indore

The leopard captured near Sahara City early Wednesday was not treated as an isolated emergency. It was one more data point in a pattern reshaping the city’s approach to human–wildlife coexistence.

When rescue is no longer the default

“The challenge has shifted from reacting to emergencies to deciding when not to intervene.” — Pradeep Mishra

Indiscriminate intervention stresses animals, disrupts movement, and fuels repeated conflict. A rescue-first approach works in isolated incidents, but becomes unsustainable when encounters are frequent.

From incident overload to coexistence planning

The Integrated Human–Wildlife Coexistence Model (IHWCM), a state award-winning framework, treats conflict as predictable rather than accidental. Multi-year data now guides operations, with rescues deployed only when human safety or animal welfare is genuinely at risk.

Technology as a force multiplier

Camera traps, thermal drones, and GIS-based mapping track wildlife along forest–urban interfaces, enabling pre-emptive action and targeted patrolling. Data revealed that repeated conflict zones are often vulnerable to illegal wildlife activity.

“Unmanaged conflict creates conditions for wildlife crime. A recent leopard poaching case, where the animal’s paws were illegally removed, underscores the stakes.” — Pradeep Mishra

What Indore signals for urban India

MP’s conservation success has recovered large carnivore populations, earning it the titles “Tiger State” and “Leopard State.” At the same time, cities like Indore are expanding into forest fringes. The overlap is unavoidable.

“When a single city records hundreds of wildlife encounters within a few years, coexistence can no longer be temporary. It demands informed public behaviour, restraint during sightings, and acceptance that wildlife is part of urban living.” — Pradeep Mishra

Designing coexistence, not reacting to crisis

Indore’s approach is defined not by the number of rescues, but by letting data drive governance reform.

“Five hundred conflict incidents in three years leave little room for ambiguity. Coexistence cannot be accidental, and it cannot be managed through emergency response alone.” — Pradeep Mishra

As cities grow into ecological landscapes, Indore offers a clear lesson: when leopards become urban neighbours, wildlife governance must evolve — from reaction to design, grounded in data, discipline, technology, and public trust.

© 2025 Tina Khatri. All rights reserved.