Saya, the black panther from Kabini whose distinct features were seen across the internet in a viral image, is set to make an entrance onto your screens once more. The National Geographic documentary, The Real Black Panther, of which Saya is the star, will be re-released onto Disney-Hotstar+.
In the documentary, Saya stars alongside the beautiful Cleopatra and the jungle alpha male Scarface. Saya the black panther is, in fact, a leopard but due to being melanistic, he has a black coat. If you look closely, you can observe the spots on his coat.
The documentary was first released in February but is now being re-released on the streaming platform. Saya’s image went viral after photos of him hunting a deer were released. The photographer Shaaz Jung can be credited with both the photo and the documentary. Black panthers are studied using trap cameras in the dense jungles of either South-East Asia or South America. This is what makes The Real Black Panther so special.
The South Indian forests are tropical deciduous forests, which means that in the intense summer heat, the forest will become brown and dry. While this suits the camouflage of a normal leopard, it does not for a black panther. The documentary shows how Saya adapts and uses the shadow of the trees and clouds to his advantage, and avoids being detected by his prey in broad daylight.
Also, Kabini is a reservoir in the southern state of Karnataka. Since there is a dam a little further into civilisation, it forms a backwater in the Kabini reserve. This is the reason why the animals can depend on Kabini's waters, even during the harshest of summers. The water brings a variety of wildlife to the area.
The documentary captures the beauty of Kabini through the seasons, Saya's quest to be the top dog, and his love affair with the beautiful Cleopatra. The rainy season in Kabini can see rainfall up to 57 inches. The winter is when the leaves change colour and challenges come forth. The summer however is when Kabini's forests run bone dry. If not for the backwaters, the wildlife would have suffered too. The documentary tries to capture the challenges put forth by nature for Saya and other animals of the area.