An extremely rare, and extremely beautiful, animal is inspiring awe in India after making its first appearance in two years.
A black leopard was recently seen in Pench National Park, in India’s Madhya Pradesh state, believed to be the same rarely-seen leopard that was last spotted in 2020.
The black leopard has been nicknamed Bagheera, after the character in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.
It’s a fitting name, as the Pench Tiger Reserve was an inspiration for the classic book.
Black leopards are truly a sight to behold. Their dark coat is starkly different than the spotted coat normally found on leopards.
According to Smithsonian, this unusual trait makes them better at blending into the shadows and being nearly invisible at night. However, it also has evolutionary drawbacks as well, as it can impair their communication skills. For this reason, black leopards are a rare sight.
The recent appearances of the black leopard have been a delight for visitors to Pench Tiger Reserve, giving them a once-in-a-lifetime view of this rare leopard type.
“All across the world usually it takes months, sometimes even years to sight a rare animal, however in Pench one can sight the wonders of natural world much more frequently,” the reserve wrote on Twitter.
What a truly amazing sight. Black leopards are so rare, and that makes spotting one all the more special! 🖤
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