JOIN USA panther cub (black leopard) was released for public viewing at the Tyavarekoppa tiger-lion safari near here on Sunday.
M Nanjundaswamy, chairperson of the Karnataka Zoo Authority, released the cub into the leopard enclosure from the breeding centre. Leopard Krithika had given birth to a black leopard cub six months ago.
He told a press conference that it was for the first time in the history of the zoos in Karnataka that a leopard had given birth to a black cub.
Nanjundaswamy said there were safaris in the State only at Bannerghatta and Tyavarekoppa. A total of 117 birds of various species had been brought from the Mysore zoo to the Tyavarekoppa safari and two emus from Tamil Nadu, he said.
One vehicle had been provided for the safari, Nanjundaswamy added.