Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), renowned for its rich tiger population and diverse wildlife, now offers tourists an added thrill with the increasing sightings of the rare melanistic, or black, leopard. Once considered extremely elusive, the black leopard has been spotted more frequently in recent times, raising excitement among visitors who now hope to glimpse this rare animal along with the tiger.
According to a senior forest official, there are currently believed to be two to three black leopards in TATR. The first camera-trap image of a black leopard in the reserve was recorded in 2014 in the Botezari area, near the Kolasa–Moharli border. However, the animal remained largely unseen by tourists and forest staff for years.
In May 2018, a tourist couple from Belgium spotted a black leopard, which is regarded as the first officially recorded tourist sighting.More recently, wildlife photographer Ranveer Singh Gautam spotted the rare animal near Fulejhari Tekdi in the Keslaghat forest range and captured striking photographs. Sightings of black leopards have also been reported from Pench and Navegaon–Nagzira Tiger Reserves.
The latest sighting by tourists at TATR has once again gone viral on social media, further boosting interest among wildlife enthusiasts.
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