A Leopard from South Khairbari Nature Park

Those who've read my travelogue of Dooars must have already seen this leopard photograph. For others, here's my two liners about the capture. Leopards are ferocious hunters with extremely powerful jaw muscles to favor their carnivorous food habit. Leopards are not only good tree climbers but they drag their prey high up into the tree branches! An adult leopard can weigh up to 70 kg and capable of catching a speed up to 57 km/hr! As you know basic parameters of a leopard now, and as you can see it's not a caged leopard from any zoo, guess how did I manage to click his photo. Well this gentleman was a resident of the Leopard Rehabilitation Center of South Khairbari Nature Park, which is a must visit destination for wildlife lovers if you're traveling to Jaldapara National Park. I could photograph this leopard from a close distance without risking my life as I was safe inside a solar-battery driven van. I assume he was 9 feet away from my lens!