In India’s Peach National Park, a very uncommon black leopard was photographed.
Bagheera, after a character from Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, is the name given to the large cat.
The juvenile female black leopard was seen on camera by aspiring wildlife photographer Haritri Goswami while visiting Peach National Park in Southern India.
The melanin in Bagheera’s skin is thought to be the cause of the highly unusual coat.
Bagheera was seen climbing and then perching on a tree by Haritri Goswami.
The darker color is brought on by a darker pigment that is present in the skin, fur, and eyes. The genetic variation of juvenile leopards is the polar opposite of albinism.
According to some experts, this is a fantastic illustration of evolution. The unusual characteristic is thought to be emerging in certain Indian leopards with dark black fur to help them hunt at night.
The leopard can thus hide in the shadows and move stealthily through thick woodlands thanks to its black coloring.
Other black leopard sightings in other African and Asian forests have been reported.
Just one month ago, a black leopard was caught in Kenya.
This unusual characteristic has been seen in animals other than leopards. Two very uncommon black tigers were seen earlier this year ambling through eastern India’s Nandankanan National Park.
The Peach National Park, home to Bagheera, is also sometimes referred to as the “Land of the Mowgli” because to the enormous diversity of creatures that call the forest home. Additionally, the national park has a tiger reserve.
According to the national park, Kipling’s well-known book’s location was inspired by there. This is contested since Kipling never went there.
Bagheera has been photographed by other wildlife photographers as well.
Bagheera was just recently apprehended for the first time since November 2020.
After a two-year hiatus, park authorities believe her to be the same black leopard.