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Camera traps record rare black panther in Odisha
Rare species; environment
News:
- The Forest and Environment Department of Odisha have recorded the presence of black panthers in a forest in Sundargarh district.
Important Facts:
- Odisha has been listed as the ninth State in India where the elusive and rare big cat has been seen.
- The camera trap was installed in Garjanpahad Reserve Forest of Hemgir Range of Sundargarh Forest Division under the guidance of Divisional Forest Officer of Sundargarh and the Chief Wildlife Warden in December 2015.
- prior to this presence of Black Panther was reported 26 years ago but there no scientific or pictorial records could establish the claim of Black Panther in the state.
- About Black Panther:
- Black Panther or melanistic leopard is a color variant of the Indian leopard.
- Black Panther is shy as a normal leopard and very difficult to detect.
- Black Panther is mostly found in densely forested areas of southern India which include:
- Kerala (Periyar Tiger Reserve)
- Karnataka (Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve and Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary)
- Chhattisgarh (Achanakmar Tiger Reserve)
- Maharashtra (Satara)
- Goa (Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary)
- Tamil Nadu (Mudumalai Tiger Reserve)
- Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
