In the Land of Leopards: A Village Chose Harmony
Herding his cattle early in the morning, he feels the invisible weight of being watched. A rustle, barely a whisper, stirs the shrubs around him. Grabbing his stick, he moves towards the sound, his heart racing. A familiar pair of amber eyes catches the light, unblinking, and a flick of a tail gives it away. He sighs, “It’s just a leopard”. In Bera, Rajasthan, home to one of the highest densities of leopards in India, the otherwise elusive feline is often spotted moving through the village and its outskirts, peacefully coexisting with its human cohabitants.
In a world where industrial expansion and human settlements often lead to conflict, Bera stands out as a rare example of peaceful coexistence. What has a village in Rajasthan understood about living with leopards that the rest of us are yet to learn?