Ending months of uncertainty among wildlife enthusiasts, the famous black leopard, popularly known as ‘Blackie’ or ‘Bagheera’, was spotted again in the Mogarkasa gate area on thursday morning, The rare sighting brought excitement among tourists, wildlife enthusiasts and local guides, as the animal had remained out of sight for several months. The black leopard was spotted during the morning safari in the Mogarkasa forest area, where tourists travelling in 10 safari gypsies witnessed the animal. Nature guides Nilesh Mehr and Nikhil Mehr captured the sighting on camera, providing confirmation of its reappearance.

 

The leopard was seen emerging from dense vegetation, offering visitors an opportunity to observe the elusive animal in its natural habitat. The sighting assumes significance as reports of black leopard disappearing from the forests of Mogarkasa in Nagpur district and Pench in Madhya Pradesh had surfaced several months ago. During this period, tourists had not reported any sightings, while its presence had also not been recorded through camera traps set up by Forest Department. According to previous forest records, the leopard was last spotted in the Lendezari area of the Mogarkasa reserve forest. Its prolonged absence had led to speculation about its whereabouts, including the possibility of it having moved to another forest area.

 

The animal’s reappearance has now renewed interest in Mogarkasa forest landscape and brought relief to those who had been following its movements. Black leopards are known to be elusive animals with largely nocturnal habits. Their dark coat, caused by melanism, makes them difficult to spot in dense forest vegetation, allowing them to remain unnoticed for extended periods. Wildlife experts had earlier pointed out that the animal could remain out of sight for months without necessarily having left its habitat. The latest sighting confirms its presence in the Mogarkasa landscape and has renewed interest among wildlife enthusiasts. The appearance is also expected to draw greater attention from tourists visiting the safari gate in the coming days.