Kolkata: A melanistic leopard cat — a rare, dark-furred variant of the small and elusive lesser cat — has been photographed in the Sundarbans during a camera-trap exercise conducted for the Royal Bengal Tiger census of 2024–25. Six images of the animal were captured from the western part of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR).
The findings have been published in the international conservation journal Oryx under the title “Camera-trap survey confirms the melanistic leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve”. Although the same species was reportedly photographed in the mangrove forests in 2012, no scientific publication followed at the time. According to the study, infrared and visible-range camera traps were installed between November 2024 and January 2025 — a period considered ideal for fieldwork due to comparatively lower tidal ranges in the region.
While the leopard cat faces threats from habitat loss, its adaptability has enabled it to persist, and it is currently categorised as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The species is protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Analysis of the camera-trap data revealed images of melanistic leopard cats from six locations within the Raidighi range of South 24 Parganas division, indicating a relatively wide distribution of the melanistic form within the reserve.
“Presently, the enumeration of Royal Bengal Tiger for 2025–26 is underway through the laying of trap cameras. If we capture images of the melanistic leopard cat this year as well, we will undertake further investigations to assess its ecological significance. A separate protocol will also be designed to estimate the population of such cats within the SBR,” said Rajendra Jakher, Field Director of the Sundarban Tiger Reserve and one of the authors of the study.
The other authors are Justine Jones, Deputy Field Director, and Debojyoty Ghosh, a research assistant. Melanism refers to the excessive development of dark-coloured pigment in the skin, resulting in black coloration in animals, birds and fish. The black panther is the most well-known example of a melanistic cat.