A gorgeous black tiger was sighted in Odisha’s Similipal National Park in a rare occurrence. The tiger was seen claiming its territory by scratching a tree in the 15-second video released on Twitter to commemorate International Tiger Day. Susanta Nanda of the Indian Forest Service posted the video. “Sharing a fascinating footage of a rare melanistic tiger establishing its territory on International Tiger Day,” he stated in the caption. The officer, who is known for sharing unusual wildlife films on Twitter, stated that black tigers have a distinct gene pool and that the tiger reserve is prepared for a population comeback.Black tigers, which have only been recorded in Similipal, are not a distinct species but rather a colour variation of the normally orange tiger.
The melanistic tigers are born with strong black stripes that cover their orange fur, giving them the appearance of being fully black in some cases.Mutation is the cause of melanistic tigers’ gorgeous black stripes. They are Bengal tigers that have a single base mutation in a specific gene. The tigers’ characteristic black stripes grow and extend into the orange backdrop as a result of this mutation. Different mutations in this gene result in equivalent alterations in the coat colour of different cat species, including cheetahs.
By Subhechcha Ganguly
