A few months ago, a mesmerizing black leopard at Nepal’s Central Zoo took social media by storm. But behind those viral photos lies a deeper, more urgent story about survival.
In the last month of 2025, I wrote ‘The Melanistic Mystery of Leopards’ on Diplomat Nepal.
Contrary to popular belief, these aren’t a separate species. They are common leopards with a genetic mutation called melanism. While beautiful, their increasing presence in districts like Ilam and Kavre isn’t just luck—it’s a warning sign. In this article I tried to explain how habitat fragmentation and urbanization are pushing these species out of the forests and into human settlements.
Their dark coats make them harder to spot leading to sudden, terrifying encounters and retaliatory killings often fueled by superstition.
I argued that without focused research and corridor connectivity, these rare shadows might disappear before we truly understand them.
In this article i wrote about genetics, conflict and predicted future of these species on current scenarios.
Full story here: The Melanistic Mystery of Leopards
WebArchive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20260130152805/https://diplomatnepal.com/diplomacy/conservation/the-melanistic-mystery-of-leopards/
This article was published on December, 2025 Issue of Diplomat Nepal Magazine.