West Bengal is a state blessed with a wide variety of geography. It can be arguably said that North Bengal has more breathtaking places than any other region in the state. Now, it has thrown up another surprise.
Black Panther in North Bengal
After 2025, the rare Melanistic Leopard, or as most of us know, the ‘Black Panther’, has been sighted again in the Kurseong Forest Division’s deep jungles. The Forest Department’s trap camera has recently captured this wonderful moment.
According to Forest Department sources of TV9 Network, they set up several advanced trap cameras in the Kurseong forests to monitor wildlife movement. While reviewing the footage, forest officials discovered the presence of the unique leopard. The footage shows the panther, with its pitch-black coat and piercing gaze, prowling through the dense forest.
What is a black panther?
The black panther is the leopard’s and jaguar’s melanistic colour variant. In both species, black panthers have excess black pigmentation, along with their typical rosettes. They are found mostly in tropical forests, with black leopards in Africa and Asia, and black jaguars in Central and South America. A recessive allele in the leopard and a dominant allele in the jaguar are the respective causes behind the melanism.
Black Panther in Australia
Yes, it has also been seen in Australia’s rural Victoria and New South Wales. While there have been numerous reported black panther sightings in the United States since late 2010, concrete evidence is reportedly yet to be found.