According to data provided in response to a RTI query, a total of 149 leopards died in Madhya Pradesh in the 14 months starting January last year, with the highest number of deaths occurring in accidents. While activist Ajay Dubey, who filed the RTI application, said the figures reflected the “grim reality”, the forest department said efforts were being made to reduce the deaths. It also said the mortality rate of 4% was within the accepted range for big cats.