Rare Leopard Spotted in Bangladesh Forest, Raising Hope for Species’ Survival

The leopard (or leopards) were spotted in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh, on the border with India and Myanmar. CREDIT: Creative Conservation Alliance.

June 28, 2025

Leopards are listed as “near threatened” globally—but in Bangladesh, their situation is even more dire. Classified as critically endangered in the country, leopards were recently spotted in a rare and hopeful sighting. Conservationists with the Creative Conservation Alliance (CCA), a local nonprofit, captured images of the elusive cats using camera traps set up in the remote forests of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a rugged region bordering India and Myanmar.

“These photos confirm that these elusive big cats still roam this region,” CCA wrote in a recent Facebook post. The images show a leopard—or possibly two different individuals—moving stealthily through dense underbrush. The Chittagong Hill Tracts are also home to several Indigenous communities, and the CCA emphasized that the species’ continued survival hinges on the support of these local populations.

Leopards once lived across most of Bangladesh, according to a 2023 study. But in the past century, their numbers have plummeted due to widespread habitat loss, human encroachment, declining prey, and illegal killing and poaching. Until now, their presence in Bangladesh was largely confirmed only through scattered sightings and tracks.

“This new photographic evidence is extremely significant,” said Monirul Khan, a zoologist at Jahangirnagar University. “Leopards are incredibly elusive, so this sighting underscores the vital role of the remaining natural forests in the Chittagong Hill Tracts as refuges for wildlife.”

The 2023 study also called for several key conservation strategies, including creating wildlife corridors, restoring vegetation, and advancing environmental justice to protect both wildlife and the communities that live alongside them.

While conservation efforts are ongoing, coexistence between humans and big predators like leopards remains a challenge—particularly in densely populated countries like Bangladesh and India. According to researchers at the University of Kent, human-leopard conflict remains a serious threat, often ending with the leopard being killed.

Still, the recent images offer a rare spark of hope. For conservationists, it’s a sign that with continued effort—and support from the people who share the landscape—these magnificent cats might yet have a future in Bangladesh’s wild forests.