TV
Nature is full of surprises. Wild animals and their fascinating behaviours and interactions in the wild is of course a visual delight. Recently a rare incident from the wild has offered a visual delight to wildlife enthusiasts. A clip from the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, has taken the internet by storm that gives a rare glimpse of a black panther strolling alongside two common leopards.
Bagheera 'Inspecting' the Wild With Leopards
In the viral video, the melanistic Indian leopard is seen along with two normal leopards on a road in the Nilgiris. The two normal leopards are its cubs.
Sharing the clip, retired Indian Forest Services official Susanta Nanda wrote, "Bagheera- the black panther- with its two normal coloured cubs on the roads of Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu. Rare sight." (sic)
In the clip, the leopard family is seen walking on the road. The rare sight was captured on CCTV, installed along the roadside. As it appears, the rare sighting was captured on camera on July 16 at 2 am.
Bagheera- the black panther- with its two normal coloured cubs on the roads of Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu. Rare sight. pic.twitter.com/ZNp5dhSx8h
— Susanta Nanda IFS (Retd) (@susantananda3) July 17, 2025
Such a sighting is rare, as these big cats usually are solitary.
Further, Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Parveen Kaswan shared the clip and gave insights about the black panther. He wrote, "In India, a black panther is a melanistic variant of the common leopard (Panthera pardus). These animals appear black due to a genetic condition called melanism, which results in excess dark pigmentation. Despite their dark coats, their characteristic leopard rosettes are often visible under certain lighting conditions." (sic)
The IFS officer also mentioned the severe threat these big cats face due to poaching and habitat loss.
The video has gone viral and wildlife enthusiasts seem to be thrilled with this rare sighting of the black panther.
