# Ch-9 The Leopard
# -Ruskin Bond
I. APPLICATION BASED QUESTIONS-
i. How would you react if you encountered a wild animal in the
forest, as the narrator did with the leopard?
Ans- The narrator’s calm response upon encountering the leopard
suggests he has a deep respect for nature, a calm demeanour, and a
strong understanding of the forest’s creatures.
Instead of reacting with panic, he observes the animal with curiosity and
reverence, demonstrating his affinity with the wild and his ability to
coexist peacefully with it.
My own response to such a situation might involve fear, but also
fascination; seeing a leopard would be thrilling yet intimidating, testing
my own ability to stay calm under pressure.
This difference highlights how our personal experiences and comfort
levels with nature shape our reactions, as Bond’s character is a seasoned
observer of wildlife, comfortable in nature’s company.
ii. Ruskin Bond emphasizes coexistence between humans and
animals. Based on this story, how do you interpret the narrator's
respect for the leopard?
Ans- The story demonstrates that humans and wild animals can share the
same environment without conflict if they show mutual respect, as the
narrator does with the leopard.
This theme suggests that nature’s creatures are not inherently aggressive
but often respond based on how humans treat them, emphasizing
coexistence over dominance.
Personally, I’ve observed this in my community where people actively
protect local wildlife and work to preserve their habitats, highlighting the
importance of respecting all life forms.
Bond’s story inspires readers to reflect on their own relationship with
nature, urging them to respect rather than fear wildlife, contributing to
conservation efforts and peaceful coexistence.
iii. What methods can be taken to prevent poaching of leopards?
Ans-Stricter laws with significant penalties for poaching and illegal wildlife
trade can act as a deterrent/stop. This includes harsher punishments for
illegal possession, trafficking, or harm to leopards and other protected
species.
Use of advanced technology such as camera traps, GPS tracking, drones,
and satellite monitoring to detect poaching activity in real-time.
Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with surveillance can also help
identify suspicious activities in forested areas.
Specialized anti-poaching units trained to act quickly in vulnerable
regions can help prevent poachers from carrying out their activities.
These teams should be equipped with vehicles, communication tools, and
other resources to respond swiftly.
Conduct awareness campaigns to inform locals about the ecological
importance of leopards in the ecosystem and the negative impacts of
poaching. Educational programs in schools and communities can help
foster a long-term culture of wildlife respect.
iv. Why are leopards poached? Discuss in brief.
Ans- Leopard skins are highly sought after in the fashion and home decor
industries, especially in regions where animal pelts symbolize wealth or
status. Poachers kill leopards for their beautifully patterned coats, which
are sold illegally on the black market at high prices.
Leopard bones and body parts are used in some traditional medicines,
particularly in parts of Asia, where they are believed to have healing
properties or to provide strength and vitality. These beliefs drive illegal
poaching, as these products fetch high prices.
In areas where human settlements are close to leopard habitats, leopards
sometimes prey on livestock, leading farmers, or local residents to view
them as threats. In retaliation or as a preventative measure, people may
kill leopards to protect their livelihoods.
Leopards are sometimes captured alive and sold as exotic pets. Although
this is illegal in many countries, trophy hunting of leopards continues.
Character Sketches-
I. RUSKIN BOND
Nature Lover: Bond’s deep appreciation for the natural world is evident
throughout The Leopard. He vividly describes the forest, its beauty, and
the harmony of life and death within it.
Animal Lover: His fascination with wildlife, especially the leopard, reflects
his admiration for the creatures that inhabit these spaces.
Empathetic and Observant: Ruskin Bond displays empathy and
understanding toward the leopard, portraying it not as a threat but as a
majestic creature deserving respect.
Calm and Non Materialistic: Despite encountering a predator, Bond does
not judge the leopard harshly. He views the animal as part of the natural
order, coexisting peacefully with the forest. His stories are about the
gems of nature and major threat to the wildlife.
II. THE LEOPARD
Majestic and Graceful: The leopard is described with awe-inspiring beauty
and elegance. The movements of the leopard are fluid, and the presence
commands respect.
Solitary and Mysterious: The leopard leads a solitary life, roaming the
forest in quiet dignity. This solitary nature adds an air of mystery to its
character, emphasizing its independence and self-reliance as it survives
in the wild.
Adaptable and Resilient: The leopard's ability to live in harmony with its
surroundings reflects its adaptability. It is portrayed as a survivor,
capable of navigating the challenges of the forest and coexisting with the
other inhabitants of its habitat.
Calm and Dignified: The leopard’s demeanour/physical appearance is
calm and unthreatening, particularly in its interactions with the narrator.
This challenges the stereotypical/standard image of predators as
aggressive or fearsome, showing it as a dignified creature that only seeks
to live its life undisturbed.
Theme of the Lesson-
The narrator's observations of the leopard highlight a peaceful
coexistence and mutual respect between humans and wild creatures.
The story poignantly/clearly reflects on the inevitability of death, as the
once-magnificent leopard succumbs to human violence.
The quiet, solitary existence of both the narrator and the leopard
symbolizes a contemplative life, where one can connect deeply with
nature.
The leopard's death evokes a sense of loss and regret, showing the tragic
consequences of human intrusion into the natural world.
Moral in this Chapter-
Coexistence with Nature: Humans and wildlife can share the same
environment harmoniously if mutual respect is maintained. The leopard in
the story, despite being a predator, does not harm the narrator or others,
symbolizing peaceful coexistence.
The Fragility of Nature: The story highlights the vulnerability of wildlife in
the face of human activity. The death of the leopard underscores the
negative impact of human encroachment and hunting on natural
ecosystems.
Appreciation of Life: The narrator's reflections on the leopard's death
emphasize the beauty and majesty of all living beings, encouraging
readers to value and protect wildlife.
Motto: To live and let live must be our motto, for earth is home to
humankind as well as to animals and plants.
QUESTIONS FROM TEXTBOOK-
i. Where did the author live?
Ans- Ruskin Bond (the author) lived at the bottom of the hill where a small
stream ran through the forest in Mussoorie.
When did the author first see the leopard?
Ans- The author first saw the leopard when he was crossing a small
stream that ran through the forest at the bottom of the hill, on which he
came to live when he first came to Mussoorie.
ii. Give the meaning of the word ravine. Describe the ravine. Who lived
there?
Ans- A ravine is a deep narrow gorge with steep sides. The ravine was so
deep that for most of the day it remained in shadow. This encouraged
many birds and animals to emerge from cover during the hours of
daylight. They had made it their shelter.
iii. What did the author see when he was on his morning walks?
Ans- Nearly every morning, and sometimes during the day, the author
heard the cry of the barking deer.
iv. What did the author see in the evening walks?
Ans- In the evening walking through the forest, the author disturbed
parties of kaleej pheasants. The author saw pine martins, a handsome red
fox and also recognised the footprints of a bear.
v. R.T.C-
“One evening, as I passed, I heard them, chattering in the trees, and
I was not the cause of their excitement.”
a] - What does 'them' refer to? How had they behaved in the author's
presence earlier?
Ans-'Them' refers to the langurs in the oak and rhododendron trees.
-Earlier they would go leaping through the branches of the trees.
However, having grown accustomed to the author's face or probably
recognising his footsteps, they remained unperturbed and kept munching
on the tender green shoots of the oak.
b] - What was the real cause of their excitement? What did they wish to
convey through their chattering?
Ans-The real cause of the excitement was a sinewy orange-gold leopard.
They wished to warn the author of some hidden danger.
vi. What did the author witness soon after?
Ans-Soon after, the author witnessed the leopard poised on a rock about
twenty feet above him. It must have sensed his presence, so it turned its
head and looked down at the author.
vii. What had driven the leopard in the hills?
Ans- The leopard, like other members of the cat family, are nearing
extinction in India. The author was surprised to find one so close to
Mussoorie. The deforestation that had taken place in the surrounding hills
had driven the deer into this green valley and the leopard
naturally had followed.
viii. What gave away the leopard’s presence sometimes?
Ans-A dry rasping cough sometimes gave the leopard away.
ix. What abnormal thing did the author notice about the leopard?
Ans- The abnormal the author noticed about the leopard one day was the
remains of a barking deer that had been partially eaten. He wondered
why the leopard had not hidden the remains of his meal and understood
that he had been disturbed while eating.
x. Who did the author meet one day?
Ans-One day while climbing the hill the author met a party of Shikaris
resting beneath the oak. The party of Shikaris asked the author if he
had seen a leopard.
xi. What did the party of shikaris tell the author?
Ans- The party of Shikaris told the author that there was a leopard in
the forest which they wanted to hunt. Leopard skins they told him were
selling in Delhi at over a thousand rupees each. There was a ban on the
export of leopard skins, but the Shikaris told him that there
were ways and means of selling the skins.
xii. How did the author feel after listening to the Shikaris?
Ans-The author felt uneasy and disturbed after listening to the shikaris
because he was a nature lover.
xiii. Describe Pari Tibba.
Ans- One day after crossing the stream, the author climbed Pari Tibba, a
bleak scrub covered hill where no one lived. The author had to scramble
up a precipitous rock phase with the help of rocks and roots which were
apt to come away in his groping hand. There he found the ruins of what
must have been the first settlers. There were a few piles of rubble now
overgrown with weeds, sorrel, dandelion, and nettles.
xiv. What did the author feel when he went up the Pari Tibba?
Ans- The author felt the increasingly strong feline odour of one of
the cat family.
xv. How were the ruins?
Ans- The ruins were for the most part open to the sky. The rotting rafters
had collapsed and joined together to form a low passage like the
entrance to a mine.
xvi. Describe the atmosphere of the lair of the leopard.
Ans- The lair of the leopard had a strong feline odour of one of the cat
family. The author wondered if the animal was then at rest after a night's
hunt. It was crouched there in the dark watching the author recognising
him, knowing him as a man who walked alone in the forest
without a weapon.
xvii. How did the leopard acknowledge the author?
Ans- The leopard acknowledged the author’s visit in the friendliest way by
ignoring him all together.
xviii. What did the author make the leopard?
Ans- The author had perhaps made the leopard too confident, too
careless and too trusting of the human in his midst.
xix. In what way did the author blame himself?
Ans- The author felt that he had made the leopard too confident about
humans being harmless. The author felt guilty since the leopard trusted
the shikaris in the same way as he trusted the author, not knowing that
all humans are not the same, thus leading to his death.
xx. What happened the next day?
Ans- The next day coming up the path of the stream shouting and beating
their drums were the Shikaris. They had a long bamboo pole across their
shoulder and slung from the pole, feet up, head down, was a lifeless
body of the leopard.
xxi. What did the Shikaris ask the author?
Ans- The Shikaris asked the author if the leopard was a fine specimen.
xxii. What did the author reply to this question of the Shikaris?
Ans- The author said that it was a beautiful leopard. The word beautiful
according to the author meant a dignified creature that only seeks to live
its life undisturbed. However, the shikaris interpreted the physical
appearance of the leopard inconsiderate of the fact that animals are not
mere objects to be sold and killed.
xxiii. Why was the author feeling that the forest was now silent?
Ans- The author was feeling that the forest was silent because the birds
and animals knew that their trust had been violated.
xxiv. Whose poem did the author remember at the end
of the lesson?
Ans- The author remembered the lines of a poem by D.H. Lawrence
"There was room in the world for a mountain lion and me." It means that
to live and let live must be our motto, for earth is home to humankind as
well as to animals and plants.
