'Stealthy' predators in India

Many leopards, hyenas and jackals live quietly in a crowded countryside in western India but people do not know their existence.

Scientists from the Nature Conservancy (WCS) used to attach cameras on trees in the Indian state of Maharashtra to monitor animals.

A leopard moves on the road in the Indian state of Maharashtra at night.

Data from the cameras showed that dozens of leopards, wild cats, hyenas and jackals moved close to the houses at night in a densely populated area with an area of ​​about 100km ² . They walked, running on the roads people used during the day, Livescience reported.

However, most people do not know that newspapers and wild animals often move near their houses every night, because they hardly catch cattle and attack people.

"Wild newspapers rarely attack people at night even though they often move in residential areas," said Ullas Karanth, a WCS expert and researcher.

The research team said that the fact that large predators live in residential areas suggests governments should focus on conservation activities outside national parks and forbidden forests.

"Our research results show that wildlife has adapted to living with people," Karanth said.