(MENAFN- Live Mint) Reflecting on the region's biodiversity, a rare melanistic leopard was spotted with a cub in Odisha.
The leopard's movement was caught on December 24, 2024, in a camera trap which was installed in the forest in Nayagarh distric .
The recent images have brought cheer to wildlife lovers, marking a significant development.
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“A rare melanistic leopard with cub has been sighted in central Odisha, reflecting the region's incredible biodiversity," said Prem Kumar Jha, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife).
In a post on x, he further added, "These elusive 'black panthers' are vital to the ecosystem - protecting their habitat, ensures a thriving wildlife heritage.”
Black Leopard. (Photo: @Prem_CWLWOdisha)Last time, the black leopard was spotted in a forest in Odisha during the ongoing tiger census.
In November 2024, a black leopard was sighted in Bhandara forest division. Earlier, the presence of the black leopard in the region was reported from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) only.
Meanwhile, in another development, a leopard that was spotted near a village in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut district was captured by the forest department team after a two-and-a-half-hour operation on Friday.
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According to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Rajesh Kumar, local villagers on Friday informed the department about a young leopard sighted in a field in Mubarakpur village, under the Kila Parikshitgarh Range in Mawana tehsil.
"Acting swiftly on the information, two rescue teams were formed under the leadership of Regional Forest Officers Ravi Kant and Khushboo Upadhyay," he said.
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On December 31, a leopard was spotted in Mysuru's Infosys campus , following which, the forest department launched a combing operation. The big cat was sighted in the underground car parking area of the campus.
According to the statement, the leopard's movement was captured in the CCTV footage, and an emergency operation was ordered.
"The Infosys campus is about 350 acres, some parts of which are like a forest. The operation is underway. Steps have also been taken to prevent the leopard from entering residential areas nearby. A drone equipped with a thermal camera is also being used to locate the leopard," he added.
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