Rare wildlife sightings across Maha: Genetic phenomena or deeper malaise

Hindustan Times

14 hours ago

As many as three recent sightings of rare wild animals across vastly different ecosystems of Maharashtra have brought both excitement and unease to the wildlife conservation community. Verified by forest officials by June 15, this is believed to be the first videographic/photographic evidence of melanism in Dholes in India in nearly 90 years. (HT)
While the sightings of a melanistic (dark pigmentation) Indian wild dog (Dhole) near the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, a black Indian jackal in Baramati's grasslands, and a leucistic (reduced pigmentation/white) leopard cub in Ratnagiri's forests are being hailed as rare genetic phenomena, experts warn that these anomalies could point to deeper maladies of ecological stress, shrinking gene pools and hybridisation risks in India's shape-shifting wild zones.
The most striking of these sightings is that of a black Dhole or Indian wild dog, recorded by a tourist near a village bordering the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve on May 7, 2025. Verified by forest officials by June 15, this is believed to be the first videographic/photographic evidence of melanism in Dholes in India in nearly 90 years. The only recorded case prior to this is in 1936 when Scottish naturalist R C Morris documented a black Dhole in the forests of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Dholes are normally reddish-brown in colour and known for their complex pack dynamics, speed, and cooperative hunting abilities. 'That such a rare genetic mutation surfaced in the buffer zone of a forest reserve has sparked curiosity among researchers, with forest department officials too installing trap cameras in the area,' said Amit Bhise, assistant conservator of forests, Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.
A fortnight before the sighting of the melanistic Dhole, forest staff in Ratnagiri confirmed that a leucistic leopard cub—its coat pale white due to the lack of melanin—was sighted by patrolling teams, and is believed to have been relocated to safety by its mother. While the leopard cub remains under observation in the wild, the discovery is an addition to the growing list of (pigmentation) anomalies being documented in the state.
A week prior to the sighting of the leucistic leopard cub, on April 23, a black jackal was spotted in the grasslands near Mayureshwar wildlife sanctuary in Baramati. Jackals in India are usually golden or tawny in colour, and a fully melanistic jackal is almost unheard of in the wild. The grasslands where the animal was seen are home to carnivores such as wolves, striped hyenas and golden jackals, but are also increasingly under pressure from agriculture and development.
Tushar Chavan, deputy conservator of forests (wildlife), Pune forest department, said, 'Melanism is a biological phenomenon among animals. It may or may not pass on to the next generation of that particular wild animal. However, it does not have any impact on the capability of the animal. After the recent sightings, we need to be more watchful about similar such sightings.'
While these sightings are generally being hailed as rare genetic phenomena, scientists studying wild carnivores and their genetics are of the view that these incongruities may be more than isolated quirks. Melanism, the condition caused by excess melanin leading to a black coat, can occur naturally due to recessive mutation. In leopards, such cases are seen occasionally and are sometimes advantageous for camouflage in dense forests. But the frequency, geography and species involved in the said sightings raises ecological questions that go far beyond genetics.
According to Neha Panchamia, founder of the Pune-based RESQ Charitable Trust, melanism can sometimes provide benefits—especially in forested environments where it may improve stealth during hunts. But in open or semi-arid areas such as Baramati's grasslands, a dark coat could reduce an animal's ability to blend in, making it more visible to predators or prey. While melanism or leucism does not necessarily affect an animal's health, the rarity of these conditions can draw (unwanted) attention from poachers and wildlife traffickers.
The more worrying possibility, however, is that some of these pigmentation changes—particularly in jackals—may be a consequence of hybridisation with feral dogs. According to Dr Abi Tamim Vanak, senior fellow at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), hybridisation is among the most serious but often overlooked threats to the integrity of wildlife species in India. He points out that the animals resulting from such crossbreeding may not have the instinctual behaviours necessary for survival in the wild and that their altered traits could disrupt predator-prey dynamics and subsequently, ecological balance.
Dr Vanak stresses that the growing interface between human settlements and protected areas is facilitating such genetic exchange. In case of jackals, the infiltration of canine genes could significantly compromise the long-term viability of wild populations. He argues that managing feral dog populations near wildlife corridors and forest boundaries must now become a priority for state forest departments if they are to prevent further genetic dilution in native carnivores such as the Indian wolf, golden jackal and even foxes.
Furthermore, the sightings highlight the urgent need for research infrastructure and genetic mapping in Maharashtra's protected areas. While forest departments have responded with trap cameras and additional patrolling in some areas, conservation experts say that a deeper, more coordinated scientific response is missing. Rare sightings often go viral and rouse public interest, but without genetic sampling, long-term tracking, and habitat monitoring, the data they generate remains superficial.
Also, some researchers believe that the recurrence of such anomalies across different regions—from Sahyadri's moist deciduous forests to Baramati's dry plains to Ratnagiri's coastal ranges—could indicate stress within isolated animal populations. Fragmented habitats, loss of prey base, encroachment, and absence of viable wildlife corridors may be reducing gene flow, making rare recessive traits more visible. In evolutionary terms, such traits might have been suppressed in genetically healthy and widely connected animal populations.
Overall, the sightings may offer hope that Maharashtra's forests still harbour biodiversity which is under-documented and poorly understood however conservationists warn that the excitement around them must not overshadow the harder questions they pose – about how land is used, how species interact, and how much space the wild still has in an increasingly human-dominated landscape.