Last Updated:January 03, 2026, 15:40 IST The elusive animal, named the “Sandalwood Leopard”, is distinguished by a pale reddish-pink coat with light-brown rosettes drawing attention to Karnataka’s rich biodiversity Globally, this colour morph has been recorded only five times—twice in South Africa, once in Tanzania, and twice in India (Image: Holematthi Nature Foundation) In a remarkable wildlife discovery, researchers in Karnataka have documented an ultra-rare leopard colour morph in the Vijayanagara district, marking only the second confirmed sighting of such a big cat in India and the first in the state. The elusive animal, named the “Sandalwood Leopard” by conservationists, is distinguished by a pale reddish-pink coat with light-brown rosettes, a striking deviation from the typical tawny coat of Indian leopards. The discovery has drawn fresh attention to Karnataka’s rich biodiversity and the diversity of its leopard population. The sighting was made by Sanjay Gubbi and his team from the Holematthi Nature Foundation (HNF), who captured images of the female leopard, estimated to be 6–7 years old, through camera traps as part of ongoing research …