Video of a rare melanistic tiger from national park in Odisha will amaze you. Watch

The Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha, India, has gained significant attention due to a rare sighting of a melanistic tiger. This unique creature was captured in a camera trap, a device used to monitor wildlife populations and interactions. The video of the melanistic tiger, which is characterized by an unusually high level of dark pigmentation in its skin and hair, has since gone viral.

The video of the melanistic tiger was shared by Ramesh Pandey, an Indian Forest Service officer and Inspector General of Forests in the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India. Pandey brought this rare sighting to the attention of the public, sparking widespread interest and discussion about the melanistic tiger and the importance of conservation efforts in Similipal and beyond.

“Beautiful camera trap video of a melanistic tiger in Similipal Tiger Reserve, Odisha, the only place where we see blackish tigers because of genetic mutations in the population,” read the caption.

Take a look:

Camera traps are typically set at knee height, approximately two feet from the ground, and secured to sturdy trees to prevent theft. They are strategically placed away from high traffic areas and steep slopes to capture undisturbed wildlife behavior. In this case, the camera trap was successful in capturing the rare melanistic tiger, a phenomenon caused by a mutation in the gene, resulting in closely spaced stripes that make the tiger appear black.

Here’s how people reacted:

Stunning, right?