Rare black panther spotted in Karnataka’s Kabini forest; pictures gone viral

Recently, a couple of stunning images of a rare black panther taking a stroll in Karnataka’s Kabini forest have gone viral and left netizens wondering, if these black beauties are for real? The pictures of a black panther doing rounds on the internet are clicked by the wildlife photographer Shaaz Jung, and soon after he shared the pictures on the internet, they went viral.

The caption with the pictures read, "A black panther roaming in the jungles of Kabini, India."
The pictures that were shared on Twitter on Sunday have received more than two lakh likes and were retweeted 54000 times! A number of users commented and said that the majestic black panther reminded them of Bagheera from The Jungle Book.

About Kabini Forest

Kabini Forest in Karnataka is spread over 55 acres, and is a vital part of the Nagarhole National Park or Rajiv Gandhi Tiger Reserve. Once upon a time, the Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary used to be the hunting grounds for the kings of Mysore, but at present it is open for tourism. The place is known for its serene lakes, valleys and streams.

The Kabini Forest Reserve is quite popular among most wildlife enthusiasts and adventure seekers. Given its accessibility, lush landscape, lakes, and sightings of elephants and tigers, it is visited by a number of tourists every year.

Location


The wildlife reserve is located around 80 km from Mysuru, and nearly 205 km from Bengaluru. Situated on the banks of the Kabini River, the reserve is on the south-eastern part of Nagarahole National Park.
The park normally is known for its tiger and elephant sightings and it is the first time that a rare black panther is spotted in the Kabini jungles. There lives around 120 tigers, more than a hundred leopards, deers and Indian Gaurs inside. The Kabini jungles are also home to a wide variety of birds.

*All rights to the image used in the story lie with Shaaz Jung. Our using them does not pass, infringe or intend to infringe upon the rights.