Bhubaneswar: In a good news for wildlife lovers, a melanistic leopard has been spotted again in a forest in Odisha. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Susanta Nanda shared pictures of the Black Panther on Wednesday.
While the exact location and other details about the black panther or melanistic leopard is yet to be known, Nanda said the wild animal was found during the ongoing camera trap tiger census in the state.
“Ongoing camera trap tiger census in Odisha is throwing up some exciting & unexpected presence of wild fauna in our state,” the PCCF posted on his X handle.
On going camera trap tiger census in Odisha is throwing up some exciting & unexpected presence of wild fauna in our state. pic.twitter.com/zRGnh9tcIv
— Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) November 29, 2023
It may be recalled that a black panther was seen in Sundergarh forest in the state for the first time in 2018. It was spotted in Garjanpahad Reserve Forest of Hemagiri range under Sundargarh forest division.
The footage of the Black Panther or melanistic leopard and its cub had been captured in the camera installed in the forest.