It was an interesting sight in Rajasthan’s Ranthambore Tiger Reserve when a leopard, a leopard and an African leopard were spotted simultaneously in Zone 9 of the wildlife reserve on Sunday.
The ‘triple sighting’, confirmed by the Rajasthan Forest Department, has been described by experts as an unprecedented and ‘rare’ encounter of three distinct predators in one frame.
This rare scene occurred in a rugged and less trafficked area of the reserve and was witnessed by a group of tourists and photographers. Arijit Banerjee, Rajasthan’s chief forest officer, expressed his astonishment on X (formerly Twitter), noting that while the appearance of tigers was expected, the simultaneous presence of a roaming tiger and a leopard was a “shock” that highlights the unpredictable dynamics of the forest.
The cheetah, identified as KP-2, is a well-known wanderer from Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh state. After crossing the Chambal River into Rajasthan last week, her journey took an important turn after the historic sighting. On Sunday evening, after catching a goat on the edge of the forest, KP-2 moved from the reserve to the Shyam Vatika area. The cat is currently hiding in a field adjacent to Housing Board Colony and Jinapur in Sawai Madhopur.
In response, a specialist joint team from Ranthambore and Kuno National Parks, led by DFO Manas Singh, set up a camp at the site. Officials are currently using advanced tracking equipment to monitor the cheetah’s vitals and movements around the clock.
Officials from Kono have been briefed on the possible de-escalation and rescue mission. The local administration remains alert, working to balance the safe recovery of the roaming leopard with the security of the citizens of Sawai Madhopur.
