Sandalwood Leopard’ Spotted: Karnataka Records a Rare First | Current Affairs | Drishti IAS

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In a rare and globally significant wildlife discovery, an ultra-rare leopard colour morph, now named the Sandalwood Leopard, has been documented for the first time in Karnataka. The sighting was recorded in Vijayanagara district by renowned conservation biologist Sanjay Gubbi and his team from the Holématthi Nature Foundation (HNF).

Unlike typical leopards (Panthera pardus) that have tawny coats with black rosettes, this female leopard displays a pale reddish-pink, sandalwood-like coat with light brown rosettes. Internationally known as a Strawberry Leopard, this colour morph has been reported only a handful of times worldwide, mainly in South Africa and once in Tanzania. The Vijayanagara record marks only the second confirmed sighting in India, after an earlier documentation from Rajasthan in 2021.

Captured through camera trapping, the leopard—estimated to be 6–7 years old—was also photographed with a cub showing normal coat coloration. Experts believe the unusual appearance may be linked to hypomelanism or erythrism, though definitive confirmation would require DNA analysis from non-invasive samples.

The discovery highlights the rich yet under-studied biodiversity of the Kalyana-Karnataka region and underscores Karnataka’s importance as a major stronghold for leopard conservation, with an estimated ~2,500 leopards in the state.
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