An incredibly rare but beautiful black tiger has been spotted in India by an amateur photographer.
This species of black tiger is known as a melanistic tiger and can reportedly only be found in Odisha, India.
Experts say, per the Daily Mail, that there are only around seven or eight of the mammals left in the Indian state.
Animal lover Soumen Bajpayee took some photos of the striking animal, which is close to extinction, in the eastern part of Odisha.
According to the Daily Mail, the black tiger is known as "the melanistic tiger" due to a birth defect in which their thick black stripes, with minimal space between them, obscure the orange fur.
The predators are found in the jungles of Odisha and have typically been a very rare sight.
70 percent of the world's tiger population is believed to be found in the South Asian country.
The melanistic black tigers, however, can only found in Odisha state. Sadly, the majestic animals have been in steep decline over the years, according to a 2018 Tiger Census Report.
Most of the black tigers can be found in the Simplipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha. The reserve first noted the melanistic tiger population back in 2007.
Dr. Bivash Pandav, a wildlife expert, and scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India, told the Times of India, based on his estimation, there are only around seven or eight black tigers left in Odisha state.
He also said the black tigers are "unique" and extremely rare due to their genetic makeup. It is believed their thick black stripes are the result of inbreeding.
The black tigers tend to be smaller in size than other tigers and were first spotted in India in 1990. They have made Odisha their habitat because of the huge forests.
Have you seen Netflix's Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness yet? Take a look at this:It is believed that poaching has severely reduced the overall tiger population - the mammals are hunted for their bones, claws, skin, and whiskers.
Per the Daily Mail, the forest department in Odisha, however, maintains that the increasing human population rather than poaching is the real issue.