Karnataka Spots Its First ‘Sandalwood Leopard’

Karnataka’s wildlife has once again drawn national and global attention with the discovery of an extremely rare leopard color variant. This unique big cat, nicknamed the “Sandalwood Leopard” has been documented for the first time in the state. The sighting highlights the remarkable genetic diversity of leopards in Karnataka and strengthens its reputation as one of India’s most important landscapes for big cat conservation.

Why in the News?

Karnataka has recorded its first-ever sighting of an ultra-rare strawberry colored leopard, popularly named the Sandalwood Leopard. This is only the second recorded sighting in India, with the earlier one reported from Rajasthan in 2021.

What Is the ‘Sandalwood Leopard’?

• Leopards generally have a tawny-yellow coat with black rosettes.
• But the Sandalwood Leopard shows a pale reddish-pink or strawberry-colored coat with light-brown rosettes.
• Internationally, such animals are called “strawberry leopards”. Scientists believe this unusual color is due to rare genetic traits such as hypomelanism (reduced dark pigmentation) or erythrism (excess red pigmentation), making the animal exceptionally rare.

Where and How Was It Spotted?

• The rare leopard was documented in Vijayanagara district using camera traps.
• The discovery was made by conservation scientist Sanjay Gubbi and his team from the Holematthi Nature Foundation.
• The animal is believed to be a seven-year-old female, and one camera trap image also showed her with a cub of normal coat colour.

Rarity at the National and Global Level

• Globally, this colour morph has been documented only five times twice in South Africa, once in Tanzania, and twice in India.
• The only earlier Indian sighting occurred in Ranakpur in November 2021.
• Naming the animal “Sandalwood Leopard” reflects Karnataka’s strong cultural and ecological association with sandalwood forests.

Leopard Diversity in Karnataka

• Karnataka is already known for hosting one of the highest densities of melanistic leopards, commonly called black panthers.
• The discovery of the Sandalwood Leopard further underlines the genetic richness and adaptability of leopards in the region.
• Such findings are crucial for understanding evolution, biodiversity, and long-term conservation planning.

Key Summary At Glance

Question

Q. The ‘Sandalwood Leopard’ recently spotted in Karnataka is best described as:

A. A new leopard species
B. A melanistic leopard
C. A rare colour morph of leopard
D. A hybrid big cat