'Leopard count in Kalesar park, sanctuary pegged close to 23'

The population of leopards in Kalesar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is likely to be about 23, Haryana Forest Minister Rao Narbir Singh today informed the state Assembly.
With a view to evaluating the ecological status of leopards, a study was conducted with the help of Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun by installing camera traps at a cost of Rs 19,89,500, he said.
The minister was replying to a question during the Budget Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha
The population of leopards in Kalesar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary was likely to be about 23, and their density estimated to be 15 animals per 100 sq km.

Singh said the camera trapping exercise recorded a total of 19 mammalian species.
No other species count was undertaken as the study was primarily aimed at evaluating the population and density of leopards in the Kalesar forest.
The survey was conducted from December 2014 to April 2015. Other species counted during the exercise included leopard cat, rusty spotted cat, jungle cat, jackal, Asiatic elephant, chital, sambar, Indian crested porcupine, wild pig and Indian hare.