Leopard caught on camera in Bandarban forest for first time in 10 years

A leopard has recently been captured on camera in the Sangu-Matamuhuri Reserve Forest of Bandarban, marking the first confirmed sighting of the species in the area since 2015, said Saurav Chakma, a researcher with Creative Conservation Alliance (CCA).

CCA, a wildlife conservation organisation, has been conducting year-long research on bears in the hilly regions of Chattogram, particularly within the Sangu-Matamuhuri Reserve Forest.

As part of their study, camera traps were installed throughout the forest to monitor bears and other wildlife.

"Our cameras, which are part of our ongoing bear research in the area, recently captured an image of a leopard," Saurav Chakma told The Daily Star.

"The last confirmed sighting in this forest was in 2015, so this indicates that although Royal Bengal Tigers may no longer inhabit the Chittagong Hill Tracts, leopards still survive here. This is significant evidence of that," he added.

Meanwhile, in March, a man was seriously injured in a remote area of Jurachhari upazila in Rangamati after being attacked by an animal resembling a tiger.

Wildlife experts suggested that the animal was likely a leopard.

At the time, Professor Monirul H Khan, a tiger expert and zoologist at Jahangirnagar University, said, "If any tigers—specifically Royal Bengal Tigers—still exist in Rangamati, they might be confined to areas near the Kasalong Reserve Forest. But the chances of tigers existing in other areas are very slim. Based on the information available, I suspect it was a leopard, which is known to inhabit the region."

Supriyo Chakma, assistant professor of forestry and environmental science at Rangamati Science and Technology University and a contributor to the Bengal Tiger census in the Sundarbans said, "It could very well be an Indian leopard,"