Leopards are adaptable animals and new studies are showing they are exploiting urban life in India. There is evidence that the leopards are feeding on populations of rabid stray dogs in the crowded cities.
Interestingly thousands of people die each year from rabies after being bitten by infected dogs so the study has shown that the leopards preying on dogs is actually helping to reduce the numbers of people being bitten in the first place. Of course the leopards take a huge risk going into urban environments where people naturally fear them but it's an intriguing that they could actually be doing the human population a favour. Most of the dogs are starving and unhealthy and a real risk to health. It must be noted that leopards are opportunistic so dogs may not be the only animals on the menu.
Interestingly thousands of people die each year from rabies after being bitten by infected dogs so the study has shown that the leopards preying on dogs is actually helping to reduce the numbers of people being bitten in the first place. Of course the leopards take a huge risk going into urban environments where people naturally fear them but it's an intriguing that they could actually be doing the human population a favour. Most of the dogs are starving and unhealthy and a real risk to health. It must be noted that leopards are opportunistic so dogs may not be the only animals on the menu.
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