Who would have thought that 10km from the heart of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, a leopard sanctuary could establish itself as one of the hottest wildlife destinations in India. Well, that’s exactly what Jhalana Forest Reserve has achieved in the last two years with its extraordinary record of leopard sightings putting it on the world map as one of the best places to spot leopards in India.

How has Jhalana Forest Reserve become so popular so quickly you ask – put simply it’s the power of social media and in particular Instagram which has made Jhalana a must visit for wildlife seekers.  Social media has changed the way people engage with each other and interact and when it comes to wildlife it has made destinations famous overnight.  Never is this more true than in India where wildlife tourism has established itself as a major domestic as well as international tourism drawcard.

Destinations like Jhalana where tour operators guarantee a 100% sighting of leopards, Sikkim for it’s population of rare red panda and Hemis National Park in Ladakh for where people flock to see the elusive snow leopard are now listed on many a bucket list.  Much of this tourism is driven by social media and the increasing desire for unique experiences and one of a kind moments.

Which brings us to Jhalana and why we are here – simply to see if the hype about spotting leopards is correct and if Jhalana is a place where one can ‘guarantee’ a leopard sighting.

Jhalana is about 15-20 minutes drive from the centre of Jaipur and has a total area of 24 square kilometres.  The density of leopards is the highest of any park in India with approximately 30 leopards recorded within the reserve.  This puts the leopard density at more than one leopard for every square kilometre which makes Jhalana unique given leopards are generally solitary animals and maintain their own much larger territories warding off those that trespass within their patch.

It’s this density that dramatically increases ones chance of a sighting even though leopards are stealthy and masters of camouflage.

The Jhalana Forest Reserve, as its now known, only opened its gates in mid-2017.  Only 10 safari vehicles (Maruti Gypsy vehicles) are permitted on each of the morning and afternoon safari’s and only after all visitors details are registered at the main entrance to the Reserve.  The current management of the Reserve has helped regulate what was previously an unregulated environment which had caused Jhalana to fall into disrepair and jeopardised the very environment in which the leopards are now thriving.

Jhalana’s environment is probably what makes it perfect for leopards to thrive.  The Reserve is a mix of deciduous and evergreen forest partly bordering the Aravalis.  The forest extends beyond the boundaries of the Reserve and likely provides a path for the comings and goings of leopards seeking to establish their territory outside the boundaries of the Reserve.

The fact the Reserve has around 30 leopards living in such a small area indicates the leopards have yet to hit critical mass but the growth in leopard numbers over recent years would indicate that management will need to consider relocation of some leopards sooner rather than later so as not to jeopardise the ecosystem that is Jhalana.

While most come just to see leopards Jhalana offers much more in terms of wildlife.  The Reserve is home to approximately 80 bird species from owls (Spotted Owlet), hawks, eagles, Black-rumped Flameback, White-breasted Kingfisher, the Indian Pitta and the Indian and Eurasian Roller’s among many other species.  If you are looking for the national bird of India, the peacock, then you have come to the right place.  Peacocks are in abundance here and are likely a major  source of food for the local leopard population.

Other animals that are prevalent in the Reserve include the Striped Hyena, Golden Jackal, Blue Bulls, Spotted Deer, Chital, jungle cats and langurs.  Arguably, some of these such as the Striped Hyena can be harder to spot than leopards.

Our visit, which included two safaris on two different days, produced some excellent leopard sightings on one safari and no sightings on the other.  To give yourself the best possible chance of sighting leopards visitors should consider 2-3 safari’s as a general rule and combine at least a morning and afternoon safari in their plans – noting leopards are most active in the early morning and later in the afternoon.  Sightings at any other time of the day is more good luck than good planning.

So can you guarantee a wildlife experience where a leopard or big cat is sighted when exploring the wild – probably not.  Wildlife in their natural habitat are unique and one can never guarantee that you will see a unique animal such as a leopard or tiger though at certain times of the year such as summer (April – June in India) the chances are high.  That said, with the density of leopards in Jhalana, it’s fair to say on any day of the week your chances of a sighting are very high, much higher than anywhere else in India including the fabled Kabini, but not guaranteed.

DETAILS

Location: Jhalana is located in the Malviya Nagar Industrial Area in Jaipur and is located 10km from the centre of Jaipur (City Palace).

Why Visit: Approximately 30 leopards live in the 24 square kilometre Jhalana Forest Reserve making it the most densely populated leopard reserve in India.

When to Visit: The best time to visit to spot leopards is the summer (between April – June) where the under forest is dry and wildlife visibility within the park is exceptional.

Safari Details: Safari’s are limited to 10 vehicles at a time – in the morning and afternoon.  Safari’s run for approximately 2.5 hours.  Given the surge of interest in Jhalana from domestic and international tourists booking in advance is recommended.