Leopards are beautiful, right? They are often sighted in several national parks across India. But you might be amazed to know that a rare ‘sandalwood leopard’ has now been spotted in Karnataka. This big cat stands out for its reddish-pink coat, which resembles the colour of sandalwood. Here’s why these leopards are considered rare and special.
Rare Sandalwood Leopard Spotted In Karnataka
Karnataka is known for its rich wildlife. Now, the state is in the spotlight once again and has drawn international attention. According to a report by The Times of India, a rare ‘sandalwood leopard’ was spotted in the Vijayanagara district. This marks only the second such sighting in India and the first in Karnataka.
Sandalwood leopards are considered exceptionally rare. The reason? They represent an ultra-rare genetic colour morph of the Indian leopard. Unlike the usual tawny-coated leopards, these big cats have a pale reddish-pink coat with light brown rosettes. They are also sometimes called ‘strawberry leopards’ due to their pinkish hue. This discovery has once again highlighted Karnataka’s unique leopard population. The state is already known for having the highest number of melanistic leopards in India, commonly called black panthers.
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The Leopard Is A 7 Year-Old female
According to The Times of India, the sandalwood leopard was recorded by conservation scientist Sanjay Gubbi of the Holematthi Nature Foundation (HNF). The sighting happened during an ongoing study on leopard diversity across the state.
Sanjay Gubbi shared with The Times of India that leopards usually have tawny coats with black rosettes. However, this leopard has a reddish-pink coat due to a genetic condition. It could be caused by excess red pigmentation or reduced dark pigmentation. So why the name ‘sandalwood leopard’? Officials apparently wanted a name rooted in Karnataka’s culture and ecological identity. Since sandalwood is deeply associated with the state’s forests, the name felt just right. According to the HNF team, the leopard is a female and is around seven years old. She was captured on camera traps. One of the images also showed her with a cub that has a normal tawny coat.
Sandalwood or strawberry-coloured leopards have been documented only five times globally. Two sightings were recorded in South Africa, one in Tanzania, and two in India. Earlier in India, the leopard was spotted in Rajasthan’s Ranakpur region in Pali district in November 2021.
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The sandalwood leopard looks beautiful, doesn’t it?
Cover Image Courtesy: @MaheshaMadappa/ X