Historic First: Two Black Leopards Photographed Together in Kurseong Forests

• Two black leopards were captured together on a hidden camera in the Kurseong forest division, marking a historic first for India.
• The rare sighting occurred in West Bengal's Darjeeling district, a biodiversity-rich area in the Himalayan foothills.
• Black leopards are not a separate species but ordinary leopards with melanism, a genetic mutation causing excess dark pigmentation.
• This photograph provides the first solid evidence of black leopards as living residents in North Bengal, dispelling previous unverified accounts.
• Scientists consider this a "scientific checkpoint," suggesting the region may be a genetic refuge for melanistic leopards and highlighting successful conservation efforts.

Why It Matters: A historic photo confirms two black leopards coexisting in Kurseong forests, a significant wildlife discovery.