India, Oct. 20 -- The leopard, one of the main carnivores of West Africa, has declined by more than 50 per cent in the last three generations (22.3 years), according to the latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessment. The main reasons for the decline are anthropogenic.

There are now 187-610 leopards in the region. However, the best estimate, as per IUCN is 354.

This population is spread across the countries of Benin; Burkina Faso; Cote d'Ivoire; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Niger; Nigeria and Senegal. East of Nigeria, leopards might be related to individuals in Cameroon in Central Africa. However, in absence of information, the IUCN chose to use political boundaries for the assessment, as it will facilitate ...