While 73 leopards were killed in road accidents, 10 were run over by trains. For the second consecutive year, Maharashtra recorded the highest number of leopard deaths in accidents among all states with 22 cases — 19 in road, three in train accidents — in 2019. Overall, 493 leopard deaths were recorded in 2019, which is seven short of 2018’s decade-high leopard deaths at 500. Leopard deaths due to train and road accidents have seen a 278% surge between 2010, when 22 deaths were reported, and 2019. In 2019, following 22 leopard deaths in Maharashtra, were Uttarakhand (11 deaths), Rajasthan (10 deaths), Madhya Pradesh (nine deaths), Karnataka (seven deaths), and Gujarat (five deaths).

Source: Hindustan Times December 31, 2019 18:21 UTC