If you want to spot black panther at Kabini, go on full or new moon day

BENGALURU: Guess when is the best time to spot the rare black panther at Kabini forests? It’s either on a full moon day or a new moon day, shows a latest study.
A nature travel company analysed data on black panther aka black leopard spottings at the Kabini forests of Nagarahole National Park in the past 12 months and found that most sightings were on or around new moon or full moon days.

Manjunath Gowda, chief curator of the company WildTrails Recent Sightings, told STOI that during the past year, tourists and foresters spotted the black leopard 61 times in the Kabini forests.“Of these, 42 sightings were on or around either a full moon or new moon day. While 23 sightings were on or around a full moon day, 19 were on or around a new moon day. When I say around, it’s either a day before or after that particular day,” he explained.
Gowda said while the reason for new moon day sightings could be because the animal is active as it is dark, his team was shocked by the full moon day pattern. “Our data scientists and biologists are still trying to analyse why full moon day sightings are more,” he added. Gowda and his team have been mining sighting data of wildlife across most Indian parks over the last few years.
Praveen KN, a businessman and regular visitor to Kabini, said he agrees with the data analysis. “The Kabini forests, apart from various parts of Karnataka, attract tourists from other parts of the country, mostly from Mumbai and Pune. That the movement of leopards during full moon and new moon days is more is something that I too have experienced,” he added.