The document discusses the recent sighting of black panthers in Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal, India. It notes that Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh was also a previous home for black panthers. The document then provides information about different types of large cats that can be referred to as panthers, including leopards, jaguars, and mountain lions. It explains that black panthers are not a distinct species but are color variations of leopards or jaguars due to a genetic trait called melanism. The document concludes by discussing the conservation status of different leopard subspecies and threats facing black panthers.

1. Buxa Tiger Reserve
(BTR) Alipurduar District
of West Bengal State
has become the new
home to Black Panthers
in India (recorded
recently on 12 th
January 2020).
Buxa Tiger Reserve,
A New Home To Black Panthers
Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh State
also become a new home before B.T.R.
Author : TUSAR KANTI GHOSAL,
Emal: drtkghosal@gmail.com, Whats up : 9474521381

2. PANTHER
“Panther” is not the name of a specific
animal. It is a versatile word that can
refer to different leopards, jaguars and
mountain lions.
In North America (Florida, USA), a panther is actually
a Mountain Lion.
In South or Central America, a panther is actually a
Black Jaguar.
in a zoo anywhere in the world, a Black Panther, check the sign so you know what
kind of cat you’re really seeing… jaguar or leopard.
In Africa and Asia, panther refers to leopards.

3. Leopard, jaguar and mountain lion are distinct species
Leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with
a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar,
but is smaller and more slightly built. Its fur is marked
with rosettes similar to those of the jaguar, but the
leopard's rosettes are smaller and more densely
packed, and do not usually have central spots as the
jaguars do.
Jaguars
Leopard
Mountain lion are also
members of the Felidae
family and belong to the
Puma genus. Unlike
leopards, cougars typically
don't have spots, and they
are smaller than leopards.
Genetically, they're also
more related to domestic
cats. They are till exist in
North America.
Mountain lion

4. BLACK PANTHER OR LEOPARD
Scientific Name : Panther pardus (Linnaeus)
Leopards also generally known as
panthers, live in Africa and Asia. They
are distinguished from their very close
Jaguar cousins by the size of their
“spots” which are called rosettes, (due
to the pale area in the middle). In
Leopards the rosettes are smaller and
“rounder”, though it varies on
subspecies and location.
They are black is a chance occurrence in nature. They are not a separate species
or sub-species. It’s just a genetic trait. Black big cats are either leopards or jaguars
with a pigmentation disorder called melanism which is the opposite of albinism.
Where albinsm removes all color, melanism ADDS color and makes the animal
appear black or a very brownish black. They, however, are not all black or brown.
If we look at them in certain angles, we can clearly see their rosettes and spotting
in their dark furs.
Black colour leopard is called Black
Panther in Asia

5. BLACK PANTHER
Black panthers are not separate
species but color variations of
leopards. Leopards are now
Threatened species. Like most
other animals the Black Panthers
are going to be extinct due to
human beings. We human beings
are the biggest threat to the black
panthers. The reasons for this are
habitat loss and too much
interaction with humans. In places
where they share habitats with
humans, they are considered
problematic and tend to be killed.
They are also killed for their skins
and other body parts.
Panthers get their black coat from
what is called melanism, a
development of the dark-colored
pigment melanin in the skin or its
appendages.

6. JAGUAR
Scientific Name : Panthera onca (Linnaeus)
They are native exclusively to Central and South America, and are visually
distinguishable from Leopards by their huge rosettes, which sometimes have black
spots in them, and often more “yellow” base colour. Jaguars also have larger jaw
muscles than a Leopard, and it makes their heads look larger compared to their
body.
Near Threatened
Jaguars are listed
as “Near
Threatened” on
the International
Union for the
Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) Red
List of Threatened
Species. There are
about 15,000 -
30,000 left in the
world. Population
is declining.

7. PERSIAN or MIDDLE EASTERN LEOPARD
Scientific Name : Panther pardus tulliana (Valencienness)
Vulnerable or Threatened
“Vulnerable” or “Threatened” (one level worse than Near Threatened) on the
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened
Species. As at 2015 we don’t know how many leopards are left in the entire world.

8. African leopard
Scientific Name : Panther pardus pardus Linn.
Threatened Leopard
“Threatened” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List
of Threatened Species. As at 2020 we don’t know how many leopards are left in African
continent.

9. INDIAN LEOPARD
Scientific Name : Panther pardus fusca (Meyer)
Vulnerable
“Vulnerable” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List
of Threatened Species.

10. NORTH ASIAN LEOPARD or AMUR,
Scientific Name : Panther pardus orientalis (Schlegel)
Critically endangered Leopard
Critically endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. As at 2020 we don’t know how many North
Asian Leopards are left in the entire world

11. Dedicated to
my beloved daughter
TANDRA GHOSAL (Putidi)
who left this heaven on 12th January 2020