Kolkata, Oct 25 (IANS): The Forest Department has started the process of installing trap cameras in the hills of Darjeeling district in West Bengal, especially in Kurseong, to track the movement of melanistic leopards.

The last time the foresters tracked such a melanistic leopard in the hills of Kurseong was on October 14.

A senior official from the state Forest Department explained that often common people mistake "melanistic leopards" with "black panthers".

"But the two species are different. Melanistic leopards are ordinary leopards whose coat complexions have black prevalence because of some D.N.A. imbalance. Although melanistic leopards are rare species of animals, during the last few years they have been spotted in the hills several times. So the state Forest Department has decided to install trap cameras in the region to track their movements and have any idea of such species available in the region," the official said.

Eight trap cameras were installed in different parts of Kurseong, mainly adjacent to the tea gardens as leopards frequent the area for food.

More such trap cameras will be installed next month, the official said.

It is learnt that a melanistic leopard was spotted for the first time in the Mirik region in November 2020. Thereafter, such a species was spotted in the Manebhanjan area in November 2022.

Again in 2023, such species were spotted in the area in April and November. In 2024, a melanistic leopard was spotted in the region first in June and then for the last time on October 14.

State Forest Department sources said that the total leopard population in the region has almost doubled during the last few years.

Now with melanistic leopards being spotted, the region has become more attractive for tourists and wildlife enthusiasts