Keimu
A keimu killed by villagers in kamjong distt of Manipur. Source-the people's chronicle, dated August 17, 2017.
Keimu means black panther in Meeteilon / Manipuri language, (kei= tiger, mu= black). The black panther is a melanised mutated form of the leopard, just like black domestic cats, the black jaguar, the white tiger, or the white lion. It is not a different species of big cat. This form is rare.
The Manipuri keimu, the melanised variant of indochinese leopard , was thought to be extinct in the region until recently, in August of 2017, a fully grown adult black panther was killed by tribal villagers of Pungtha village of the newly created Kamjong district (previously included in ukhrul district) of Manipur. Wildlife Survey and conservation efforts in this region is very poor, due to insurgency problem, underestimation, poor connectivity, hard-to-control old culture of hunting of the locals.
See also
- Indochinese leopard
- Kabaw kei
- black panther
- keibu keioiba
- singju
- eromba
- Manipuri cuisine