Rare 'Melanistic Black Tiger' Spotted in Odisha; From Rare Golden Tiger to Majestic Snow Leopard, Check Out 5 Wild Cats Captured in the Wild This Year (Pictures And Videos)

An extremely rare 'black' tiger has been spotted in Odisha. Named 'Melanistic Tiger', this rare animal is only present in Odisha and as per experts, there are only seven to eight in the wild. The photos of the rarely seen animal were clicked by amateur photographer and wildlife enthusiast Soumen Bajpayeein Eastern Odisha. This year, photographers in India and across countries were able to spot quite some rare cats. From black panther with spots to golden tiger, we bring to you a list of rare big cats which were caught in the lens.

The thick black stripes on the tiger recently spotted are due to genetic defect. According to the 2018 Tiger Census Report, the number of black striped tigers has reduced drastically. Also, 70 percent of the world’s black tiger population is in Odisha. Out of which, most of them can be found in the Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha. The first black striped tiger was reported in 2007 in the said reserve.

Black Tiger in Odisha

1. Rare Majestic Snow Leopard

A rare majestic snow leopard was spotted in the Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh earlier this year. The video of the animal was shared on Twitter by Indian Forest Service IFS) officer Susanta Nanda. The video shows the majestic cat walking down a road with heaps of snow on both sides.

2. Black Panther With Spots

A rare sight was captured at Tadoba National Park in Maharashtra earlier this year. It was a black panther with spots, yes you read it right! The photo was clicked by wildlife photographer Abhishek Pagnis. The wild cat has hidden spots called ghost rosettes which is also present in leopards but is not visible due to the animal's thick fur. Black panthers are one of the melanistic animals in the wild.

3. Black Panther

'Saya', a blank panther was captured in all its glory in the Kabini forest at Karnataka. The rare black cat was clicked by photographer Shaaz Jung earlier this year. The photos went viral after it was posted on the photographer's social media platforms.

4. Rare Golden Tiger

A rare golden tiger with red and brown stripes was seen earlier this year at Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Its features are due to recessive trait called the 'wideband' which affects the production of black colour during the hair growth cycle in its body. IFS officer Parveen Kaswan had shared phot of the tiger which was clicked by photographer Mayuresh Hendre. They are also called golden tabby tiger or strawberry tiger.

5. Black Leopard 

Recently, a rare black Leopard was spotted in Madhya Pradesh’s Pench Tiger Reserve recently. The video was filmed by a tourist visiting the national park. He posted a short video after spotting the rare animal during a safari of the reserve.

Most of these unique-looking cats are endangered and it is important to save them from further extinction. Most of the times, habitat loss, poaching and lack of food are the reason for their decline in population.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 05, 2020 10:06 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).