Rare Black Panthers Spotted in Odisha's Forests

Black Panther Sightings in Odisha

• Melanistic leopards, known as black panthers, spotted in three forest divisions across Odisha.
• One black panther captured on trap cameras in Garjan Hills, Hemgiri forest range, Sundargarh district.
• Sightings kept confidential to protect against poaching.
• Pradeep Kumar Mirase, DFO Sundargarh, confirms multiple sightings by protection squad.
• More cameras to be installed to monitor the black panther's movements.
• Melanistic leopards are not a separate species but a color variant due to genetic mutation.
• They make up only about 11% of leopard populations in certain regions of Africa and Asia.

Odisha Leopard Population Census

• First All Odisha Leopard Estimation-2024 conducted across 47 forest divisions.
• Current leopard population in Odisha: 696, an increase of 128 from previous count.
• However, lower than the 760 reported by NTCA in 2018.

Odisha's survey method more comprehensive than NTCA's:

• • Used various identifiers: pugmarks, scrapes, scats, vocalizations, etc.
  • Camera traps used to identify unique adult leopards.
  • Statistical error less than 10%, compared to NTCA's 35% in 2018.
• Similipal Tiger Reserve has the largest leopard population in Odisha.
• Satkosia landscape ranks second in leopard numbers.

Conservation Challenges and Unique Features

• Poaching remains a major threat to leopards in Odisha.
• 59 leopard skins seized from smugglers between 2018 and 2023.
• Black panthers face unique conservation challenges due to rarity.
• Similipal Tiger Reserve known for melanistic Royal Bengal tigers.
• Similipal's tigers have a unique lineage with black and yellow stripes.
• Black panthers have better camouflage in dense forests.
• Continuous conservation efforts needed to protect and grow leopard population.