A brave pet dog chased away a wild leopard wandering through a family's yard in India.

CCTV footage shows the predator arriving in the village when the canine suddenly confronted it in the dark in Dhur Mankeshari village of Kanker, Chhattisgarh, on December 19.

The loud bark of the saviour pooch can be heard in the video clip as the leopard attempts to enter the house. The 'big cat' also tried to grab the guard pet in its jaws but eventually ran away.

In a separate incident on October 20, a leopard attacked a group of friends enjoying a picnic in the forests of Gohparu and Jaitpur in Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh. Authorities said three people were injured in the attack and were later treated at a medical college.

In another case, villagers in Uttar Pradesh beat a leopard to death after it targeted three people on December 3.

On December 6, a leopard mauled a two-year-old boy to death before being captured by locals in the village of Shirhama, Mawar, Handwara, in Kupwara district. Residents found the child in a pool of blood and rushed him to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Local reports indicate that leopards have been attacking and killing individuals in the country. Statistics estimate there have been 551 deaths from leopard and tiger attacks over a span of 20 years.

Conservationists found that the leopard population in India has grown from 12,852 in 2018, to 13,874 in 2022, according to the 'Status of Leopards in India 2022' report, released by the Union Environment Ministry on February 29.

However, the development of homes in and around forests has led to an increase in conflicts with humans.