Leopard vs. Livelihoods: India's Wildlife Debate Divides Urban and Rural

• Human-leopard conflict highlights a growing divide between urban environmental idealism and rural economic vulnerability in India.
• Maharashtra proposes releasing goats in forests and sterilizing leopards to manage conflict, sparking debate among experts.
• Urban engagement with wildlife is driven by 'distant empathy' through digital media, while rural communities face daily risks and economic losses.
• Rural communities bear significant costs from wildlife interactions, with farmers facing substantial agricultural and livestock losses, often uncompensated.
• Digital platforms' selective narratives create echo chambers, hindering shared understanding and solutions between urban and rural perspectives.