First record of leucistic Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus Shaw, 1791 (Mammalia: Carnivora: Ursidae) in Panna Tiger Reserve, India

The first photographic evidence of a leucistic Sloth Bear from Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, was obtained during a camera trapping survey conducted during 2019–2021. Despite the wide distribution of Sloth Bears in the Indian sub-continent, leucism is extremely rare to find. This record evokes the need for scientific reporting of such encounters and further research on the causal factors of leucism with respect to the species’ ecological and conservation implications.