Leopard population on rise in Mahanadi Wildlife Division

The population of leopards is on the rise in Mahanadi wildlife division of Nayagarh district, Forest officials said. Once counted at 17, the number of leopards has now climbed to 35.

- POST NEWS NETWORK

Alongside the growth in numbers, reports suggest the presence of rare melanistic leopards in the division. During the 2023 tiger census in the state, a camera trap in the Mahanadi Wildlife Division captured images of a black leopard, a rare genetic variant. Environmentalists and locals expressed happiness after reports indicated that more than one black tiger may be roaming the forests of Nayagarh.

However, Forest authorities have maintained secrecy over the findings and clarified that presence of only one black leopard has been officially confirmed.

The first recorded sighting of black leopard in Odisha was in 2015. It was again spotted in 2021 through camera traps in the Banigochha (West) forest range of Daspalla. The then Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Sushant Nanda, highlighted the rare occurrence on social media, sparking wider attention in November 2023.