The Junnar Forest Department in Maharashtra, India, has launched a scientific study to analyze leopard scat as part of efforts to understand leopard behavior and mitigate human-leopard conflicts. This two-month project, initiated in May, involves systematic collection and analysis of leopard scat to gain insights into their feeding habits, prey patterns, and movement behaviors in human-dominated landscapes. Junnar is recognized as a sensitive zone for human-leopard conflicts, and the study aims to establish a scientific understanding of leopard movement and habitat use. Officials are particularly interested in whether leopards are encroaching on villages and agricultural areas in search of food, which often leads to conflicts. The project is part of a broader initiative that includes a leopard sterilization program and a census outside protected areas. Simta Rajhans, the assistant conservator of forest, highlighted the necessity of scientific data to formulate effective policies for conflict mitigation. The findings from this study are expected to enhance understanding of leopard ecology and support long-term coexistence strategies between humans and wildlife in the region.