Rare Leopard with Different-Colored Eyes Discovered in India

A once-in-a-lifetime sighting of a leopard with heterochromia iridum has been captured in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, India. This extremely rare condition, where each eye is a different color, was documented by photographer Dhruv Patil. The old female leopard, perched on a tree, has one bluish-green eye and one brown eye. This is the first recorded instance of heterochromia iridum in leopards in India.

Heterochromia iridum results from genetic mutations affecting melanin distribution, leading to different eye colors. While this condition can occur in domestic animals and humans, it is exceptionally rare in wild leopards.

India has previously documented other rare leopard variants, such as melanistic leopards, or black panthers, which have an all-black coat due to a different genetic mutation. It’s incredible to see such rare mutations in these elusive creatures, first melanistic leopard like the black panther in Kabini, and now a heterochromic leopard in Bandipur.