Research overview: cultural tolerance and coexistence with leopards in India

Long-term coexistence between people and leopards in human-dominated India rests partly on social, cultural and religious dimensions that shape tolerance. This overview surveys social-science research examining how local belief systems, the figure of Waghoba and other carnivore deities, livelihood dependence, media framing, and trust in authorities influence whether communities accept or demand removal of resident big cats. It discusses how conservation-conflict outcomes hinge as much on human attitudes and institutions as on animal behaviour, and reviews participatory approaches that integrate ecological monitoring with community engagement. The synthesis positions cultural tolerance as a measurable, manageable factor in sustaining leopards in landscapes such as those surrounding Mumbai and rural Maharashtra.