A pair of rare black leopards was spotted in eastern India, according to The Times of India.
The nighttime footage was captured in Kurseong, West Bengal, by one of over 20 camera traps placed by officials throughout the region's forests.
"In one camera, two melanistic leopards have been clicked," said Devesh Pandey.
"It seems they are siblings. We will track them through trap cameras to find out more about them, particularly about their parents," Pandey added.
Melanistic leopards, or black panthers, have also been seen in nearby Manas National Park.
The presence of leopards in India is contentious, as degraded habitat and human settlement have brought these apex predators into closer proximity with people. As a result, leopards have been spotted in urban areas, and there have even been attacks.
Those circumstances might suggest the species are pests or threats, but leopards play vital roles in their ecosystems. As predators, leopards keep prey species populations in check while cycling nutrients for those further down the food chain.
This sighting showed why trail cameras are important tools for informing wildlife management measures. Gathering data on animal populations is challenging to do manually, especially for elusive species that are easily spooked by human presence.
When armed with better information, experts can justify expanded conservation measures and defend existing ones.
Experts speculated that seeing two black leopards could indicate a smaller gene pool, in which the mutation could be passed on more frequently. This genetic isolation could be due to habitat fragmentation.
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$200 or more 💰 "Generally, if the frequency of the black mutation is low and there is a lot of gene flow — a lot of animal movement due to good forest connectivity — then you are unlikely to keep seeing black leopards," said ecologist Uma Ramakrishnan.
"If the populations are slightly isolated then it is possible to have an increase in the frequency of black mutation. But, that needs to be studied."
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