- Black panther seen with two spotted leopards in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu on July 16
- Footage shared by IFS officer Parveen Kaswan on X showed rare nocturnal sighting
- Black panthers are melanistic leopards, not a separate species, Kaswan clarified
A black panther (melanistic leopard) was seen wandering alongside two typically coloured leopards in a verdant area of the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. It was a rare sight for wildlife enthusiasts and forest officials.
Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Parveen Kaswan shared the rare footage on X (formerly Twitter), and wrote, "Bagheera (black panther) and other friends for night walk on the roads of Nilgiris. What a rare thing."
In the clip, two spotted leopards are seen wandering beside the melanistic leopard, who is noticeably darker. It is very unusual for melanistic and non-melanistic species to wander in such unison.
Several social media accounts re-shared the footage, which was believed to have been recorded on July 16 at midnight.
"Rare & Remarkable Sighting Black panther along with 2 other leopards spotted in Nilgiris," One wrote.
"It seems they are on an important mission," read one comment.
Another said, "The ultimate nocturnal predator!!!! We'll get to see more black leopards in the wild..."
In a subsequent post, Mr Kaswan clarified that black panthers were a melanistic variation of the ordinary leopard (Panthera pardus) and not a distinct species.
Melanism is a hereditary disorder that causes excessive dark pigmentation, giving these animals their black appearance. In some lighting situations, their distinctive leopard rosettes can be seen despite their dark coats.
Their survival depends on conservation efforts because they are threatened by things like habitat loss and poaching.
In January, IFS Officer Kaswan had shared another rare sighting of a black panther strolling in the Kurseong forest in West Bengal. He shared a short video of the creature walking through the Kurseong forest on X.
"This black Panther from North Bengal. Bagheera of Kurseong. What a beauty," he captioned the post at the time.
Mr Kaswan added that the majority of these black panthers lived in the tropical woods of states like Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, and parts of the Northeast. Their sightings are rare and fascinating because they are solitary and elusive.
The Nilgiris are a part of the Western Ghats, a hotspot for biodiversity and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Although previous camera-trap studies have shown the existence of melanistic leopards in southern India, sightings are still rare, making the July 16 event significant.
