Photographer Documents Rare Black Panther Family on Indian Tea Plantation
Israeli photographer Matan Sharon documented a rare black leopard (black panther) raising cubs on a tea plantation at the edge of Manas National Park in Northeast India. The park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Himalayan foothills, hosts only six black leopards. Sharon's team included a local guide, an armed ranger, and driver Umesh. The leopard chose the plantation for safety from apex predators like tigers, using giant shade trees as refuge. Sharon also photographed golden langurs, Asian elephants, Indian rhinoceroses, Bengal monitors, and other wildlife. His work is available on his website, Instagram, and Facebook.
Key facts
- Matan Sharon documented a rare black leopard family on a tea plantation in Manas National Park, Northeast India.
- Only six black leopards live in the entire Manas reserve.
- The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Himalayan foothills.
- The leopard chose the plantation for safety from tigers and other apex predators.
- Sharon's team included a local guide, an armed ranger, and driver Umesh.
- Black leopards are a melanistic color variant of leopards and jaguars.
- Sharon also photographed golden langurs, Asian elephants, Indian rhinoceroses, and Bengal monitors.
- The documentation was published on PetaPixel on June 29, 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Matan Sharon
Institutions
- PetaPixel
- UNESCO
- YNet
Locations
- Manas National Park
- Northeast India
- Himalaya
- India