A Melanistic Indian Leopard ( P. p. fusca) popularly known as Black Panther recently spotted in Tadoba Reserve in Maharashtra.
It is a color variant of Indian leopards commonly found in dense tropical rain forest areas of south India, mostly from the state of Karnataka.
The Excess black pigment named Melanin is responsible for black color of big cat. They also have linings like common leopard but not visible because of black color.
It is thought that excess melanin may confer a selective advantage under certain conditions since it is more common in regions of dense forest, where light levels are lower.
Recently, preliminary studies also suggest that melanism might be linked to beneficial mutations in the immune system.
The Most famous wildlife sanctuaries to spot Black Panther in India are Anshi-Dandeli Tiger Reserve and Kabini wildlife sanctuary.
Besides India it also found in Java, Shri Lanka, Myanmar and Nepal.
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