The Rare “Black Tiger” of India: Science, Sightings, and Why It Matters

Introduction

Deep in the sal and bamboo forests of eastern India, an extraordinary big cat moves like a shadow. Locals call it the “black tiger,” but scientists know it as a pseudo-melanistic Bengal tiger—a tiger whose black stripes are so widened that they seem to merge across much of the coat, obscuring the usual orange background. These striking animals are not folklore: they are real, mostly confined to Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha, and they offer an unusually clear window into how genetics, isolation, and conservation pressures can shape a population. Recent field photography and genetic research have tightened the picture, showing that a single gene can explain the dark patterning and that Similipal is the only place on Earth where such tigers occur naturally in the wild at meaningful frequency. (National Geographic)

This long-form explainer unpacks the biology of pseudo-melanism, where and why it appears, what we know about Similipal’s tiger population today, and how conservation policy is adapting to protect one of wildlife’s rarest natural experiments.

What Is a “Black Tiger”? Pseudo-Melanism vs. Melanism

Most tigers display bold black stripes on an orange coat with a pale underside. In Similipal’s “black tigers,” the black striping is so broadened that the orange ground color is heavily reduced, creating an overall dark, almost cloaked appearance. Technically, this is pseudo-melanism—a change in patterning—rather than classic melanism (uniform dark coloration). A 2021 peer-reviewed study tied the pattern to a single mutation in the Taqpep gene, long implicated in coat pattern variation in cats. (PMC)

Key mechanism: an amino-acid change (Taqpep p.H454Y) alters how stripes form, widening them dramatically. Roughly 37% of sampled Similipal tigers showed the phenotype, and the allele reached high frequency in the reserve—unusual for such a rare trait. (PMC)
How it’s inherited: Evidence points to autosomal recessive inheritance; cubs need two copies of the mutated allele to show pseudo-melanism. Similar Taqpep disruptions are known in domestic cats (blotched tabby) and king cheetahs (expanded spots/stripes). (Scientific American)

Takeaway: India’s “black tiger” isn’t uniformly black—it’s a tiger whose stripes have changed their geometry due to a specific genetic variant.

Where Do Black Tigers Live? Why Similipal Is Unique

Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR)—a large, rugged landscape in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district—appears to be the world’s only wild stronghold of pseudo-melanistic tigers. Government and scientific sources repeatedly state that confirmed melanistic/pseudo-melanistic tigers have been recorded only in Similipal, not in other Indian reserves. (Press Information Bureau)

Recent reporting and field work indicate that a substantial fraction of Similipal’s tigers carry the pseudo-melanism allele, and sightings—while still rare—are now well-documented by camera traps and specialist photography. National Geographic’s September/October 2025 coverage placed a Similipal black tiger on its cover and emphasized that roughly half of the reserve’s tigers carry the mutation. (National Geographic)

Population snapshot (recent figures):

India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) reported from the 2022 All-India Tiger Estimation that Similipal held 16 tigers, 10 of them melanistic (a data point illustrating the concentration of the trait at the time). (Press Information Bureau)
Odisha’s 2023–24 state census later estimated 30 tigers statewide, 27 in Similipal, including 13 melanistic individuals, suggesting growth and a continued high share of the dark phenotype. (The New Indian Express)
News from mid-2025 reported new melanistic cubs on camera traps, again underscoring Similipal’s unique genetic reservoir. (The Times of India)

Why only Similipal? The 2021 study suggests the allele may have risen to high frequency through isolation and genetic drift in a small, partially inbred population. In other words, Similipal’s relative geographic isolation allowed a rare variant to become common. (PMC)

The Genetics in Detail: Taqpep and the Architecture of Stripes

Taqpep (Transmembrane Aminopeptidase Q) is a patterning gene that helps set where and how pigment boundaries form in feline coats. Changes in Taqpep can re-draw the map of stripes or spots without turning an animal uniformly black. In Similipal tigers:

The p.H454Y mutation is strongly associated with the pseudo-melanistic pattern.
Genotyping and pedigree work (including captive lines) indicate the trait is recessive: two copies yield a “black tiger,” one copy yields a carrier with typical stripes. (PMC)
Comparable Taqpep mutations explain the “blotched tabby” morph in domestic cats and the king cheetah pattern. This parallel strengthens the causal link in tigers. (news.ncbs.res.in)

This genetics story matters for management: knowing the allele frequency and inheritance allows conservationists to model future phenotype frequencies, assess inbreeding risk, and weigh whether genetic rescue (introducing unrelated mates) is warranted. Odisha has, in fact, discussed bringing new females to increase diversity—a first in India for this purpose. (Down To Earth)

Do Black Tigers Have an Ecological Advantage?

A popular idea is that darker patterning helps a tiger blend into deep forest shadow, making it a better ambush predator. While this is plausible, scientists caution that hard evidence remains limited. What we do know:

Behaviorally, pseudo-melanistic tigers appear to hunt, scent-mark, and patrol territories like any other Bengal tiger; the visible difference is the stripe geometry, not body size or behavior. (Field observations summarized across recent media and photographic coverage.) (National Geographic)
The trait’s high local frequency likely reflects demography and isolation more than a huge survival advantage. The 2021 study points to genetic drift in a small population, not a proven camouflage benefit. (PMC)

Bottom line: pseudo-melanism may or may not confer small benefits under certain light conditions, but its prevalence in Similipal primarily tracks population history and restricted gene flow.

Conservation Status: Tiger Numbers, Threats, and Policy Moves

India’s broader tiger story is one of recovery: the 2022 national assessment estimated 3,167+ adult tigers (range varies by method), with continued growth attributed to habitat protection and anti-poaching. (Press Information Bureau) Within that national picture, Similipal is exceptional because it concentrates a rare genetic variant.

Key conservation issues in Similipal

Small, partially isolated population: This elevates inbreeding risk and potential allele fixation (including undesirable variants that affect fitness). Plans to introduce unrelated females aim to expand gene flow and avoid long-term genetic erosion. (Down To Earth)
Poaching pressure: Authorities have reported arrests linked to tiger poaching incidents, including a case involving a melanistic tiger in 2024–25, prompting stepped-up enforcement and AI-enabled camera surveillance. (The Times of India)
Habitat integrity & prey base: Like all tiger reserves, Similipal depends on maintaining large, connected habitats and healthy prey populations (chital, sambar, wild boar). While reserve-level data vary by year, the principle is clear: space and prey drive tiger carrying capacity. (National tiger conservation materials; context.) (National Telecommunications Authority)

Why official recognition matters

India’s central government has formally noted that melanistic tigers have been recorded only in Similipal, highlighting the reserve’s global uniqueness and the need for special protection. (Press Information Bureau)

Sightings and Public Awareness: From Camera Traps to Cover Stories

Sightings of black tigers are rare and logistically challenging, given Similipal’s size and dense cover. Nonetheless, camera traps and a small set of specialist photographers have documented them, culminating in National Geographic’s October 2025 cover—a milestone that has introduced the science of pseudo-melanism to a global audience and spotlighted Similipal’s conservation story. (National Geographic)

Public attention can be a double-edged sword. It helps mobilize funding and policy but can also increase disturbance if unmanaged. Reserve managers and researchers balance storytelling with site protection, limiting sensitive location data and emphasizing responsible tourism.

Frequently Asked Questions (Quick Facts)

Is a black tiger the same as a black panther?

No. “Black panther” refers to melanistic leopards or jaguars (nearly uniform dark coats). Similipal’s “black tiger” is a Bengal tiger with widened stripes (pseudo-melanism), not a uniformly black animal. (PMC)

Are black tigers found outside Similipal?

Credible, repeated wild records exist only for Similipal. Similar-looking photos from elsewhere have not withstood scientific scrutiny. (Press Information Bureau)

How many black tigers are there?

Numbers fluctuate with births, deaths, and survey effort. Government and media reports from 2023–2025 suggest a double-digit count within Similipal, with new melanistic cubs recorded on camera traps in 2025. (The New Indian Express)

What gene causes the pattern?

A Taqpep mutation (p.H454Y) is strongly associated; two copies yield the pseudo-melanistic pattern. (PMC)

How to Talk About Black Tigers (and Why Words Matter)

Language shapes conservation. Calling these animals “melanistic tigers” is convenient shorthand, but “pseudo-melanistic Bengal tiger” is more accurate and keeps the focus on pattern geometry rather than implying uniform blackness. This precision helps avoid myths, improves public understanding, and supports policy grounded in genetics rather than headlines. (PMC)

Why Similipal’s Black Tigers Matter

The black tigers of Similipal are more than social-media sensations. They embody several essential conservation lessons:

Evolution in real time: A single genetic variant can reshape a population’s appearance when isolation and drift are at play. (PMC)
Small populations are powerful—and vulnerable: Unique phenotypes can persist but are also at risk from inbreeding, poaching, and habitat disturbance. (The Times of India)
Science-policy feedback: Genetics informs translocations and breeding decisions; monitoring informs law enforcement; storytelling (responsibly done) builds public support. (Down To Earth)
Global uniqueness warrants tailored protection: With credible records only from Similipal, safeguarding this landscape is tantamount to preserving the world’s only natural population of pseudo-melanistic tigers. (Press Information Bureau)

Conclusion: A Rare Pattern—and a Rare Opportunity

In a world where tiger conservation often pivots on raw numbers, Similipal’s black tigers remind us that genetic and phenotypic diversity are also worth saving. Each camera-trap image, each verified cub, and each new data point helps build a blueprint for protecting not just a species, but its evolutionary possibilities.

Have thoughts or questions about tiger genetics, melanism, or Indian tiger conservation? Share them in the comments, and follow for future deep dives on big-cat biology, population genetics, and field conservation from India and beyond.

Citations / Sources

Sagar, V. et al. (2021). High frequency of an otherwise rare phenotype in a small and isolated tiger population. PNAS (open access). (PMC)
National Geographic (2025). Cover feature and explainer on Similipal’s black tigers (pseudo-melanism; frequency and fieldwork). (National Geographic)
Press Information Bureau (Government of India)—Parliament reply on protection of black tigers; confirms Similipal as the only site with melanistic tigers recorded in the wild. (Press Information Bureau)
Down To Earth (2024). Odisha state estimation: 30 tigers statewide, 27 in Similipal. (Down To Earth)
The New Indian Express (2024). State count cites 27 tigers in Similipal, including 13 melanistic. (The New Indian Express)
NCBS (India) explainer: What makes Similipal’s black tigers black? (Taqpep context). (news.ncbs.res.in)
Scientific American (2021). Overview of the genetic findings and inheritance. (Scientific American)
Times of India (2025). New melanistic cubs; poaching case updates; AI camera crackdown. (The Times of India)

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Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Black Tiger of India: The Science and Rarity of Similipal’s Melanistic Tigers