Ranakpur and. local people in Kumbhalgarh It is claimed that the big cat is sometimes seen – a strawberry colored coat – due to the vast expanse of forest area in different areas the pink leopard is entering, Rajsamand DCF Fateh Singh Rathore said. Recently, the photographers got a chance to capture the female leopard in the camera. “As custodians of wildlife, we aim to protect the leopard by restricting human invasion to its territory,” Rathore said. The Kumbhalgarh forest area is spread over 600 sq.km.
Indian leopards usually have tanny coats with dark spots. However, the pink leopard’s skin is reddish-brown in color and has different spots than that of the common leopard. The strawberry colored coat of the pink leopard is due to erythrism – a genetic condition that causes either overproduction of red pigments or less production of black pigments – said Dr Satish Sharma, retired forest officer.
Udaipur-based wildlife conservator and photographer Hitesho Motwani After four days of searching, he claimed to have taken photographs of the rare pink leopard. Motwani said that the age of the female leopard is about five to six years.
Wildlife conservationist and WCCB member Anil Rodgers said the sighting of the pink leopard in the region is a matter of pride as well as concern.
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