In the heart of India, Madhya Pradesh, Pench National Park is located in the districts of Seoni and Chhindwara. Named after the pristine River Pench which flows through the park, Pench National Park is one of the most popular wildlife reserves in India. Inspite of tiger being the top predator, Pench is more famous for its black panther or black leopard sightings.
The beautiful rocky outcrops in Pench make it an ideal habitat for leopard. Known for its picturesque background, tourists enjoy seeing and taking pictures of this elusive feline at Pench.
Recently guides and tourists were surprised with another magical addition – the black leopard (the bagheera at last).
BLACK LEOPARD IN PENCH
Seen on March 15, 2024 for the first time , the black leopard of Pench fondly called by the guides as “Kaala” (meaning black in hindi ) is a 6 -7 month old cub. Kaala , is partially black with clearly seen rosette patterns on its body. Kaala is usually sighted with its mother and it often gives a quick glimpse or peep out from a thicket of the leaves or logs. It is usually seen moving during dusk when it starts getting dark.
Black Leopard cub in Pench National Park
Know More: Best Places To See Leopard In India
In contrast to the normal spots of dry grass or a dry leaf filled forest floor in which the normal leopards camouflage very well, Kaala chooses trees or climbers with dense foliage of leaves or a moist rotten or a dark wooden log fallen on ground as its hiding spot which serves as a perfect camouflage for its colour.
Pench being a perfect habitat for leopards also has its own niches where this dark beauty can grow up.
Being a curious little cub, Kaala is slowly getting to know the tourism vehicles in his area and is starting learn its territory with its mother and we are sure that one day Kaala will rule the jungle of Pench and will eventually know why it is special.
Know More: Leopards In Satpura
WHY THIS BLACK COLOUR ? WHAT IS MELANISM
Melanism is a color polymorphism that is seen in various groups of organism, in which the skin /fur/plumage is darker than what it would be considered the normal or “wild” phenotype.
Several biological factors such as thermoregulation, susceptibility or response to disease, camouflage, aposematism, sexual selection and reproductive success could be directly influenced by melanism.
The occurrence of melanism is rather common in felidae, having been documented in 13 of the 38 felid species. In none of them has it reached fixation, but rather always exists as a polymorphic phenotype and it is present only in two species of Panthera – The leopard (Panthera pardus) and the jaguar (Panthera onca).
MELANISM IN LEOPARD (Panthera pardus)
In case of leopards melanism is induced by a recessively inherited mutation in ASIP (agouti signalling protein) gene which induces the black pigmentation. In simple words melanistic cubs can be born to spotted parents who carry the recessive gene for melanism.
Although leopards are found in more than 100 eco-regions, melanism is found to be most common in tropical and subtropical moist forests.
The selection of the gene for melanism seem to be driven by temperature and moisture related to thermo-regulation in natural habitat, suggesting that the presence of melanism may be regulated by climatic features. The degree to which the animal is black also seem to be affected by the same.
In India, the intensity of darkness of the melanistic leopard seem to have been influenced by the habitat as the rainforests (western ghats ) are known to have fully dark specimens while the dry deciduous forests of Central India partially black ones are observed.
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EARLIER RECORD OF BLACK LEOPARD IN PENCH
In the buffer called Khawasa , black leopard was sighted in the monsoon 2022 August. However after the month of November it was not known to be seen.
Blog contributed by Deepa Rakshana .K , A Passionate Naturalist from Pench Tree Lodge – Pugdundee Safaris, a renowned resort in Pench. She is also a student from PRONAT 5 who followed her passion and is currently doing her dream job where every day is filled with endless surprises.
