Black gold of Tadoba
One early morning during our
Tadoba tour, before heading to the safari gate, Ashishda and I were discussing
how fortunate some people are to witness the rare Black Leopard of Tadoba. Our
conversation over morning tea ended, and we began our journey to the gate,
which was about 45 minutes away from our resort.
After completing the entry
formalities, our Gypsy was the first to enter the forest, as is often the case
with my morning safaris. Our regular guide, Ramrao, accompanied us and
mentioned that there had been leopard activity on the same road the previous evening.
About fifteen minutes into the ride, I asked Ramrao to check for leopard
pugmarks on the road where they had been sighted earlier. While I was soaking
in the beauty of the forest, the other two occupants were also scanning for
signs of big cat movement.
I was focused on the left side of
the road, searching for any signs of life in the woods. At one point, while
Ramrao was busy checking the direction of the pugmarks, I noticed something
that resembled a half-burnt log. As I pondered over it, the log suddenly moved,
and I was shaken from head to toe. I believe Ashishda saw it too, but he was so
shocked that he couldn’t utter a word. I, however, shouted, “Hey, Blackie!”
Totally stunned by our sudden
good fortune, I didn’t know what to do next. The Black Leopard, about 30 feet
away from us, seemed unbothered by our presence. It was busy sniffing a tree,
likely trying to identify the presence of another leopard in the area. The
Black Leopard, essentially a melanistic leopard with a skin pigmentation
condition, is a rare sight. Tadoba has a few semi-melanistic leopards, but
sightings are still incredibly rare.
As we regained our composure and
started capturing this magnificent creature with our cameras, he continued
going about his business, strolling around the tree and a small waterhole. He
even paused to drink some water. The sight of his bright eyes against his dark,
almost black, skin was mesmerizing. We captured as many photos and videos as
possible, treasuring every moment.
The sighting lasted for around 10
to 12 minutes—an unusually long encounter with this elusive creature. We were
fortunate enough to get some stunning frames and capture memories that we will
cherish for a lifetime. After giving us one final look, the "Ghost"
melted into the deep woods, disappearing to explore his territory.
We were left buzzing with
excitement, eager to share the story with others who had missed this
once-in-a-lifetime experience that morning.