Felids Interactions - Interspecific Conflicts

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Gujarat: Lions establish supremacy near Chotila, kill leopard
TOI | Mar 3, 2020, 12:31 IST

Body of the leopard found in Chobari near Chotila on Monday

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RAJKOT: Asiatic lions, who have ventured near Chotila in Surendranagar, have become fiercely protective about their new-found habitat. In a rare occurrence in Gujarat, a male lion killed a sub-adult leopard in Chobari grassland near Chotila on Monday morning. Two to four lions had ventured into this area just few months ago and are frequently spotted near these villages.
Pug marks of lion and marks of its nail were found near the leopard’s body.

Forest department officials and experts said the attack was clearly to establish supremacy over the territory. In wildlife, encounters between lions and leopards are common, but this is an extremely rare incident in Gujarat as no such killing of leopard has been reported from Gir sanctuary and the near-by districts in recent memory. Junagadh and Amreli have healthy population of lions and leopards both.
According to experts both carnivores compete for the same predator, but lion is a big predator. In many cases if leopard has hunted an animal and lion arrives, it has to leave it for lion. It happens when co-predator are existing at the same place.

Talking to TOI, Sandeep Kumar deputy conservator of forest Morbi said, “In wildlife parlance, this phenomenon is called kleptoparasitism , where leopard leaves its hunted prey for the lion on spotting it.”
“The lion felt that the leopard was dominating on its territory and therefore killed it. This also indicates that lions are determined to make this are their new home and settle down permanently.
It’s possible that a lioness may also venture into this area,” he added.

Priyvrat Gadhvi, member of state wildlife board said, “Interspecies relations among the big cat or carnivore is usually one of hostile and intolerance. Lions generally don’t get a chance to kill leopards as the latter avoids confrontation by fleeing quickly or climbing trees.
This one is an accidental encounter and lions don’t leave any opportunity to kill the leopard. The leopard also kills lion cubs if it gets a chance.”


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