Bengaluru, October 18: Leopards are noted for their adaptable dietary practises, spanning from giant prey to tiny prey, including herbivores, birds, reptiles, fish, and domesticated animals. A team of wildlife experts investigating the leopard population in Karnataka, however, was taken aback last week when they discovered a new addition to their varied diet. Images captured by trap cameras in the Devarayana Durga woods on the outskirts of Tumakuru show leopards feeding on bats.

According to researchers from the Holematti Nature Foundation and the Nature Conservation Foundation, who have been investigating the leopard population in Karnataka, this might be the first time leopards have been recorded preying on bats in the world. The camera footage showed a leopard carrying an Indian Flying Fox, the biggest bat species in India. Leopard Climbing Up and Down A Coconut Tree in Nashik Is Terrifyingly Beautiful Video You’ll See on Internet Today.

A researcher told TOI that the leopards' peculiar conduct was documented during August and September 2023, when video traps were installed inside the forest to measure leopard numbers. In at least two instances, we observed a female leopard aged five to six years carrying the Indian Flying Fox. The leopard was photographed with its six-month-old youngster in the same spot, the researchers added. Rare Persian Leopards Caught on Camera: Family of Persian Leopards Make Home Infront of Trap Camera in Turkmenistan, Mesmerising Video Surfaces.

As a result, the cub may pick up on this unusual conduct. The researchers also stated that this is a one-of-a-kind record that may be reported nowhere else in the globe. Another researcher stated that it is unknown whether the leopard was going up roosting trees to grab the flying fox or whether it was utilising other tactics to chase the flying animal. Flying foxes typically weigh around 1.5 kg and have a wingspan of up to five feet.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 18, 2023 08:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).