Exclusive: Wildlife Photographer Captures A Rare Black Panther Cub With Its Leopard Mom Inside This Hidden Tiger Reserve In India
Wildlife photographer Arvind Ramamurthy has captured a rare sighting of a black panther cub with its leopard mother and two other cubs in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve in Karnataka, India.
The sighting is considered extraordinary because black panthers, which are leopards with a genetic condition called melanism, are rarely seen. The cub was spotted with its family near the backwaters of the reserve. According to Ramamurthy, the cubs were initially shy, but their mother seemed to be getting them accustomed to the presence of vehicles.
This is not the first time a black panther has been spotted in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, but sightings are uncommon. While the famous black panther “Saya” of the Kabini forest is well-known, this new cub brings attention to Bhadra as a habitat for these elusive animals. Sources
Witness the stunning beauty of nature with this incredible photo of a black panther alongside her leopard mother. Black panthers, a melanistic variant of leopards, are incredibly rare and elusive. Their unique black coats result from a genetic mutation, giving them a striking and mysterious appearance”, a post by PTR on social media said. The black panther cub has been identified as Bagheera, the offspring of a male black panther and normal female leopard.
e-Paper Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process Home Just In South Nation World Sports Entertainment Videos Opinion and Editorials Business Technology Education Hyderabad Chronicle Special Story Featured Advertisement Home » Nation MP: In rare sight, black panther cub seen with leopard mother in MP forest Nation Rabindra Nath Choudhury 31 May 2024 8:29 PM The video of the rare sight taken by wildlife photographer Manu Dubey last week was shared on social media by the PTR along with a caption that read, “A rare sight in the wild”. Bhopal: The Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh, believed to have inspired the English novelist Rudyard Kipling to author ‘The Jungle Book’, has hogged limelight when a wildlife photographer captured a rare picture of a black panther cub in the company of its leopard mother in the reserve forest. The video of the rare sight taken by wildlife photographer Manu Dubey last week was shared on social media by the PTR along with a caption that read, “A rare sight in the wild”. Also Read – Jaishankar Meets Lavrov on Bilateral Ties Advertisement “Witness the stunning beauty of nature with this incredible photo of a black panther alongside her leopard mother. Black panthers, a melanistic variant of leopards, are incredibly rare and elusive. Their unique black coats result from a genetic mutation, giving them a striking and mysterious appearance”, a post by PTR on social media said. The black panther cub has been identified as Bagheera, the offspring of a male black panther and normal female leopard. Also Read – Dinosaur-Era Discovery? Fossil-Like Remains Unearthed in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer “The cub along with its leopard mother was spotted near Jandimatta pond under Turia zone, the core area of Pench Tiger Reserve. The gender of the cub is yet to be ascertained”, PTR deputy director Rajneesh Singh told this newspaper on Friday. According to him, two black panthers were spotted in PTR in 2021. But, since then, the two black beauties were not seen in PTR. “The black panther cub suddenly popped up in the Turia zone around three months back. The cub got bolder with growth in age and is sighted frequently in the last three months”, Mr Singh said. Also Read – Supreme Court: Spouses Cannot Refuse Mutual Dependence in Marriage In the video taken by the wildlife photographer, the cub was spotted walking gracefully to a nearby pond and sipping water amid sounds of chirpings by birds. The cub then was seen returning to the leopard mother and sitting alongside her. “The PTR has become a favourite destination of wildlife tourists because of its thriving diverse and vibrant wildlife as well as frequent sightings of black panthers which validates the connection between PTR and Rudyard Kipling’s ‘The Jungle Book’”, Mr Singh said.
