Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary

Description

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context

A black panther recently rescued from a village in Goa will be released into the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary in South Goa.

About Black Panthers

The majestic-looking animals called black panthers belong to the Kingdom of Anamalia.
Black panthers look just like big giant cats and aren’t separate species.
Its black fur color is a result of the pigment melanin; a result of genetic mutation, and is also called black leopard and black jaguar.

Anatomy and Appearance

Black panther appearance-wise is surely sleek-looking.
The most striking feature of this mammal is its eyes.
The sharp eye shape and the bright emerald green eyes sort of give black panthers a fierce look; making them look elegant.
Even when they are standing in the dark, their striking eyes stand out, looking like a silhouette.
Panthers tend to be black and dark brown.
Like the other feline members i.e Leopards and Jaguars, black panthers can also have a spotted body. However, due to their flashy dark fur, the spots aren’t clearly visible to the eyes.
Black Jaguar prefers to spend their time in solitude.
Black panthers aren’t just sleek-looking animals with smart brains. They are also exceptionally fearless hunters, solitary animals, and quite territorial in temperament.
Melanistic Jaguar is polygamous.

Habitat

They are widely scattered over three continents.
Black panthers mostly live in the steamy, dense tropical rainforests of South and Southeast Asia.
They mainly inhabit Southwest China, Southern India, Indonesia, Burma, Nepal, and Southern Malaysia.

Interesting Facts and Features About Black panthers

Black panthers are considered to be one of the most intelligent Felidae family members.
Panther cubs are born blind, they are first able to open their eyes after 5-9 days.
Panthers have exceptional eyesight, sense of smell, and hunting skills.
The IUCN has classified both Leopards and Jaguars as threatened species because they are both getting more and more vulnerable across a large portion of their natural range.

About Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary

It is located in South-Eastern Goa, India.
It constitutes one of the vital corridors of the Western Ghats and covers an area of about 211 km2.
Netravali or Neturli is an important tributary of River Zuari, which originates in the sanctuary.
Forests mostly consist of moist deciduous vegetation interspersed with evergreen and semi-evergreen habitat; there are also two all-season waterfalls in the sanctuary.
Netravali WLS has two all-season waterfalls, namely Savri and Mainapi.