Leopard with two different-colored eyes photographed in Bandipur
A leopard with two different-colored eyes was captured in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve by photographer Dhruv Patil. Patil made the remarkable discovery while hosting a safari in Bandipur, Karnataka. He photographed the old female leopard perched on a tree, but it was only after returning home and examining the image closely that he noticed her unique eyes—one bluish-green and the other brown.
Photographer discovers leopard's unique eyes post-safari
"It's incredible to document such rare mutations in such elusive creatures," Patil said, expressing his excitement over the find. Animals or humans that have different color of eyes have a condition known as heterochromia. In most of the cases, the condition does not cause any problems. According to WebMD, "It's often just a quirk caused by genes passed down from parents or by something that happened when your eyes were forming."
Patil's previous encounters with rare wildlife phenomena
Talking of photographing unique animals, Patil previously captured a black panther in the Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary near Mysuru. This endeavor required him to spend over 9,000 minutes, or nearly seven days, waiting on a single road in a national forest in Karnataka. Additionally, he has documented an albino deer in the Kabini forest area. "Usually, deer possess shiny brown skin. Deer with white or pale white skin are found once in a while," Patil explained.
Patil's insights on albino deer and his wildlife journey
Patil began his journey into wildlife photography in 2013, gaining field experience in Africa and the Americas, and has since become a prominent figure in documenting rare genetic mutations in wildlife. In 2011, Patil founded the Society for Protection of Animals and Plants, which now has an active volunteer base of about 10,000 people. He has also adopted numerous animals at Mysore Zoo and cares for many birds at his home.
