In Mumbai, in India a population of urban adapted leopards living in and around Sanjay Gandhi National Park performs an unexpected service : they are actually reducing the risk of rabies and dog bites for nearby communities.

An unexpected neighbor

Mumbai is home to more than 20 million people. At its heart lies Sanjay Gandhi National Park, a forested reserve surrounded by dense urban neighborhoods. Around 35 to 40 leopards inhabit the park and its surroundings. the highest densities of these big cats recorded in the world. 

Leopards wandering through villages would appear to be a big issue. Yet scientists studying this unusual presence began to notice something surprising: areas near the park experienced far fewer dog bites than other parts of the city. And as you guess… the explanation is in the leopard’s diet.

In Mumbai, free roaming dogs are verycommon. Estimates says that tens of thousands of stray dogs roam the city and these animals are responsible for a large share of rabies transmission. Rabies remains a serious public health problem in India causing roughly 20 000 human deaths each year. 

This predation has cascading effects. Fewer stray dogs means:

• fewer encounters between dogs and humans
• fewer dog bites
• the a lower risk of rabies transmission

Using ecological models researchers estimated that the presence of leopards near the park may prevent around 1 000 dog bite incidents and roughly 90 potential rabies cases each year.

Rethinking the role of wildlife in cities ?

Urban wildlife is often seen as a nuisance. Yet research increasingly shows that animals living in cities, from birds to predators ! can influence ecosystem stability, biodiversity, and even human health.

Sources

• Braczkowski A. et al. (2018) :  Leopards provide public health benefits in Mumbai, India
• Sarah Gibbens : How City-Dwelling Leopards Improve Human Health. National Geographic
• University of Queensland News :  Urban big cats cut rabies risk. 
• The Nature Conservancy : Cool Green Science. Urban Leopards Can Save Lives By Eating Feral Dogs
• ABC / The Conversation :  How the leopards that live in a city park are saving lives in Mumbai