Rare melanistic leopard sighted in Odisha forest

Bhubaneswar: There is a piece of good news for the wildlife enthusiasts in Odisha.

A rare melanistic leopard was sighted in Nayagarh forest in Odisha recently.

Images and videos of the female leopard along with its cub were captured in the camera traps installed at the forest, said sources in the Forest Department today. 

In the video, the melanistic leopard, also known as black panther, is seen carrying a cub in its mouth while wandering in the dense forest.

Earlier, melanistic leopards had been spotted in Sundargarh and Gajapati forests in the state.

Notably, the state government had conducted the first-ever leopard census in Odisha in 2024.

The state is home to 696 leopards, said the census report, released in October last year.