Black Panther in Netravali Sanctuary | 08 May 2020

A black panther was spotted in Goa’s Netravali Sanctuary.

While the area is a known habitat of tigers, this is for the first time a black panther has been captured on camera in the sanctuary.

A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of any Panthera, particularly of the leopard in Asia and Africa, and the jaguar in the Americas.
- Melanism is the increased development of the dark-colored pigment melanin in the skin or hair.
It is as shy as a normal leopard and very difficult to detect. It is mostly found in densely forested areas of southern India.
Areas where black panther has been spotted earlier:
- Periyar Tiger Reserve (Kerala)
- Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve and Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary (Karnataka)
- Achanakmar Tiger Reserve (Chhattisgarh)
- Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary (Goa)
- Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (Tamil Nadu)

Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary is located in South Eastern Goa and constitutes one of the vital corridors of the Western Ghats.
It is bounded by Cotigao wildlife sanctuary on the eastern side and Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park on the northern side.
Netravali or Neturli is an important tributary of River Zuari, which originates in the sanctuary.
It has two important waterfalls namely, Savari and Mainapi.
Forests mostly consist of moist deciduous vegetation interspersed with evergreen and semi-evergreen habitat.
Fauna: Leopard, Giant Squirrel, Mouse Deer, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon and Ceylon Frogmouth.
Other Protected Areas in Goa:
- Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
- Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary
- Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary
- Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary
- Mollem National Park
- Dr Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary