Along with Royal Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lions and Leopards, There is one more member of Big Cats Family who is very famous among wildlife lovers and photographers in India, “Black Panther”. There are many sanctuaries, reserves, and national parks where you can spot a Black Panther in India.
Black Panther is also known as Melanistic Leopard or “The Ghost of the Forest”, They generally prefer dense forest to stay and have
Spotting Black Panther in the wild is one of the top things to do for wildlife lovers and photographers.
Black Panther is one of the rarest to sight Big Cat in India and in the whole world.
Even though it is difficult to sight a Black Panther, You may spot Black Panthers in India in a few wildlife sanctuaries of Central India, Western Ghats & North East India.
Some interesting quick facts about Black Panther
| Scientific Name | Panthera Pardus |
| Family | Felidae Family |
| Weigh Between | 50 – 90 kg |
| Length | 7 – 8 Feet |
| Speed | 58 – 60 km/hr |
Popular Safari Tours where you can spot Black Panther
Wildlife Sanctuaries in India to Spot a Black Panther
Though India does not have a very healthy population of Black Panthers, but you may be able to spot a black panther in one of the below-mentioned national parks and wildlife sanctuaries if you are lucky enough.
- Pench National Park
- Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary
- Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
- Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
- Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve
- Manas National Park
- Nagarhole National Park
Explore our Guide on How to Plan Leopard Safari in India
There are a few more sanctuaries in India where Black Panthers have been spotted in the past, They are Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagarhole National Park, and a few more.
Pench National Park
Recently, in the past few months of 2022, Pench National Park’s Khawasa has become the hotspot for spotting Black leopards in India. This is the second melanistic leopard spotted in the Pench in the same zone where an Adult Black Leopard was already earlier and it is believed the subadult black panther is her immediate litter.
Pench can ve visited year-round. Moreover, Khawasa zone is a buffer and it remains open during the monsoon season as well.
Plan your trip to Pench with Big Cats India to witness the beautiful melanistic leopard in the wild.
Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary
Black Panthar, Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary
Img Credit@Sharath
Kabini wildlife sanctuary is one of the most famous and best places to spot a Black Panther in Karnataka and in India. Kabini’s dense bush makes it the favorite place for Black Panther to reside.
The best time to visit Kabini to spot a Black Panther is during March & April when the jungle is neither too dense nor completely dry.
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
Along with birds, Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is also famous for the rarest Black Panther in Karnataka. Also, Dandeli is the only Tiger Reserve where Black Panther has been seen frequently, which makes it one of the favorite places for Black Panther lovers.
You can visit the Dandeli wildlife sanctuary year-round, but to spot Melanistic Leopard you can plan your visit between January and April
Black Panther Image
Img Credit@Bharath and Shreyas
Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is yet another home for this Black Big Cat in Karnataka. Along with Black Panther, Bhadra WLS is also home to Royal Bengal Tiger, Elephants, Gaur, Sambar, Chital, and Wild boar.
The best time to visit Bhadra to spot this Ghost of the Jungle is during summer when most of the animals come close to the water bodies for water.
Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve
Black Panther – Tadoba, img source
Tadoba is one of the most visited and favorite Tiger Reserves among Big Cats lovers. That’s because of the presence of a lot of Big Cats and other rare animals. One more reason that makes this reserve more important and lovable is the presence of the Black Panther or Melanistic Leopard.
Best time to visit: Tadoba can be visited from October to June, but the best time to visit Tadoba Tiger Reserve is from December to June.
Manas National Park
Located in the foothill of the Great Himalayas, Manas National Park is another beautiful national park of India to spot a Black Panther. Manas National Park is also a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site of India, a Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve, and a Biosphere Reserve which makes Manas a haven for Wildlife Lovers and nature lovers.
Best time to visit: The favorable time to visit Maanas National Park is between November to June.
Nagarhole National Park
Black Panther in Karnataka
Nagarhole is yet another National Park, and a Tiger Reserve of Karnataka and also home to rare Black Panthers. It is one of the favorite destinations of wildlife lovers for spotting a Black Panther in India. Nagarhole is also a part of the Nillgiri Biosphere and a prime national park in Karnataka.
Best time to visit: Nagarhole National Park can be visited during December to May for the best sighting.
