An exceptionally rare leopard colour morph, colloquially named the 'Sandalwood Leopard', has been officially documented for the first time in Karnataka's Vijayanagara district. This significant wildlife discovery was made by conservation biologist Dr. Sanjay Gubbi and his team from the Holématthi Nature Foundation (HNF) through camera trapping during an ongoing study on leopard diversity. The leopard, identified as a female estimated to be six to seven years old, exhibits a striking pale reddish-pink coat with distinctive light-brown rosettes, a stark contrast to the typical tawny-yellow coat and black rosettes of most Indian leopards. This unique hue, reminiscent of sandalwood, inspired its local name, while internationally, leopards with this coloration are known as 'Strawberry Leopards'. This marks a momentous occasion for India's wildlife records, as it is only the second confirmed documentation of such a colour morph in the country. The first instance was recorded in Rajasthan's Ranakpur region in November 2021. Globally, 'Strawberry Leopards' are exceedingly rare, with only a handful of sporadic records from South Africa and a single case from Tanzania. Researchers suggest that the unusual coloration is likely a result of rare genetic conditions such as hypomelanism (reduced dark pigmentation) or erythrism (excess red pigmentation). While the current assessment is based on photographic and visual evidence, definitive confirmation of the exact genetic mechanism would necessitate molecular analysis using non-invasive DNA samples. The sighting of this 'Sandalwood Leopard' not only highlights the remarkable genetic diversity within Karnataka's leopard population, which already boasts a high concentration of melanistic (black) leopards, but also reinforces the critical importance of sustained conservation efforts and long-term ecological monitoring to protect these rare traits and enrich India's natural heritage.