Chamarajnagar (Karnataka): A special leopard with different types of eyes has been caught on camera at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve forest in Gundlupet. Wildlife photographer Dhruv Patil captured this picture and posted it on his social media account. He wrote that this type of leopard has been found for the first time in India.
A female cheetah resting on a tree can be seen with both her eyes of a different colour. While the left eye is brown, the right eye is bluish-green. This is due to the factor of 'heterochromia' and it is known that a leopard with such different eyes has not been recorded in India so far.
Dhruv Patil said, "This is the first time that a leopard has been found in India like this. I took a photo of this leopard on the safari road last week when I came to Bandipur. Two days ago, when I sat at home and looked at the photo, I found that both eyes were different. This type of mutation is seen in cats. But this is the first time in leopard."
In a post on his Instagram, Patil had said, "Emerald and an eye of gold. A leopard with an extremely rare mutation Heterochromia Iridum which causes each eye to be a different colour. Photographer in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, India. The first sighting of its kind in India. It’s incredible to document such rare mutations in such elusive creatures. Firstly melanistic leopards like the black panther in Kabini, and now a heterochromic leopard in Bandipur. It’s truly incredible to witness Mother Nature’s marvels."
