Black panther put on display at Central Zoo

KATHMANDU: A black panther has been put on public display at the Central Zoo in Jawalakhel.

According to Satya Narayan Sah, chief of the zoo, visitors can observe the leopard, which was rescued from Ilam, at the Central Zoo from Wednesday.

The black panther was brought to the zoo on September 2 following its rescue from Ilam. It has since been kept under the direct supervision of veterinarians.

The zoo administration decided to put the animal on display only after its health returned to normal.

The black panther, however, is not a separate species. It is a common leopard whose coat appears completely black due to a genetic mutation known as melanism, which causes an excess production of the pigment melanin, making its dark spots blend. Such black leopards are extremely rare in the wild.