GUWAHATI: In a significant wildlife conservation milestone, a Black Panther has been captured on a camera trap in the Dulung Reserve Forest of Assam's Lakhimpur district for the first time.
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The rare sighting was announced by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday, June 15, through a post on social media platform X. Sharing the development, the Chief Minister described the presence of the elusive predator as a testament to the ecological importance of Assam's reserve forests and the success of ongoing conservation efforts in the state.
"The presence of this elusive predator highlights the ecological significance of our reserve forests and reflects the success of sustained conservation efforts in protecting Assam's wildlife habitats," Sarma said.
Black panthers are melanistic variants of leopards, known for their dark coat caused by a genetic condition that increases pigmentation.
The discovery has drawn attention to the biodiversity of Dulung Reserve Forest, a pristine evergreen forest located in the Kadam subdivision of Assam's Lakhimpur district, near the Arunachal Pradesh border, serving as a habitat for a variety of wildlife species and rare medicinal plants.
