With our ever-expanding development, wild animals are left with less and less habitat and are coming into greater contact with humans. This, usually, can lead to trouble.But in Borivali, Mumbai, things are taking a different turn. Leopards and humans are co-exist without facing any major trouble. Yes, there are the odd inidents but L5, a female leopard at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivali, is most frequently captured by cameras. It’s almost as if they have got used to humans and adapted to find a way to co-exist.

A survey by the Wildlife Institute of India (WWI) and SGNP has revealed that there ar e 35 leopards in the 140 sq km area, including the national park and Aarey colony.

Here is a instagram post by natgeo showing how these animals co-exist with human beings without being harmed:

@natgeo @stevewinterphoto Here is more proof that we humans live with majestic animals in urban areas without even knowing they are there – AND without major problems – if we let them be. Leopards are the most adaptable and the most persecuted cat on our planet. Shot for my @natgeo Leopard story – 2 leopard cubs are walking up stairs to go drink at a waterhole where the caretaker of a local shrine lives. The man has goats and chickens that drink the water during the day – at night he puts the livestock in his house for safety and the leopards come to drink – in Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai India. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/leopards-moving-to-cities-text The residents of Mumbai use the park during the day – kids playing cricket, couples walking after work or school – others just walking in nature hearing the symphony of the park – the bird calls – leaving the bustling city of over 21 million people. But at night the leopards come out – in the core of the park they have a substantial food source of deer and other species – but they walk silently on the trails at night close to apartment buildings. In one instance I met a man who had lived in this building for 10 years and did not know there were leopards here! I saw him every night walking with friends getting some exercise – two weeks later he tells me he was up at 3:30AM and looks out his window and sees a leopard for the first time! Our natural world is simply perfect and incredibly amazing. And without it we as humans cannot survive – we need to wake up and save the nature that we depend on for our oxygen, water and food – life itself. If we save big cats we can save ourselves. National Geographic launched the Big Cats Initiative to raise awareness and implement change to the dire situation facing big cats. Please visit CauseAnUproar.org to find out more about Build a Boma and other ways to become involved to save big cats! Give a High 5 for big cats! #5forbigcats @ #follow me @stevewinterphoto to see other images, thanks! @natgeo @thephotosociety @natgeocreative #bigcatsforever #ivoryfree #wildaid #bigcatsforever #beauty #me #follow #love #leopards @wildaid

A photo posted by National Geographic (@natgeo) on