Wildlife scientists from the Holématthi Nature Foundation (HNF) have photographed an ultra-rare leopard colour morph in the Vijayanagara district of Karnataka, marking the first such record for the state. The animal, which exhibits a pale reddish-pink coat with light-brown rosettes, stood out from the typical tawny, black-rosetted leopard pattern and has been nicknamed the sandalwood leopard in recognition of Karnataka’s cultural association with sandalwood.
The individual is a female, estimated to be around six or seven years old. HNF director Sanjay Gubbi, who led the team that documented the animal, said the finding was made using camera traps deployed as part of an ongoing programme to estimate leopard populations and identify priority landscapes for large mammal conservation in the Kalyana-Karnataka region.
Sandalwood leopard genetics and conservation
The unusual colouring is thought to result from a genetic variation that either increases red pigmentation or reduces dark pigmentation. Mr Gubbi cautioned that the current assessment is based on photographic evidence and visual characteristics. “Until genetic evidence is available, it is scientifically appropriate to describe this animal as a rare colour morph rather than assign a specific genetic condition,” he said, noting that conditions such as erythrism or hypomelanism are possibilities.
Only a handful of similar leopards have been recorded worldwide. In India, a comparable individual was documented in the Ranakpur region of Rajasthan in November 2021. Internationally, isolated records exist from parts of South Africa and Tanzania. The HNF team intends to collect DNA samples for molecular analysis to determine the precise genetic mechanism behind the Vijayanagara individual’s coat.
Camera-trap surveys that produced the record form part of HNF’s broader efforts in the region. The foundation’s team for the project included Sandesh Appu Naik, Shravan Suthar, Poornesha H.C., Ruma Kundarkar, Ravichandra Velip, Dayanand Mirashi, Sumit Velip, Aishwarya Karanth and Mayur Mirashi, working alongside Mr Gubbi.
HNF’s research highlights that Karnataka supports an estimated 2,500 leopards and contains landscapes that are important for arid-zone species such as the Indian grey wolf, striped hyena and Bengal fox. The Vijayanagara documentation underscores how much remains to be learned about wildlife distribution in understudied parts of the state.
Conservationists say that photographic records of rare phenotypes can raise public interest and support for habitat protection, but they also stress the need for careful scientific follow-up. Genetic testing would not only clarify whether the animal displays erythrism or hypomelanism, it could also inform whether the trait is isolated or present in a wider local population.
The discovery offers an opportunity for researchers to engage local communities and authorities in monitoring and conserving habitats used by leopards and other large mammals. As the HNF team moves to secure samples for molecular work, the record will be evaluated in the context of broader conservation planning for the Kalyana-Karnataka region.
Key Takeaways:
- An ultra-rare sandalwood leopard colour morph was photographed in Vijayanagara district, Karnataka.
- The female individual is estimated at six to seven years old and was recorded by Holématthi Nature Foundation camera traps.
- Genetic analysis is required to confirm whether the condition is erythrism or hypomelanism.
- Documentation highlights the conservation value of the understudied Kalyana-Karnataka region.
