The black panther
is the common name for a black specimen (a melanistic
variant) of any of several species of cats. Zoologically speaking, the term panther
is synonymous with
. The genus name Panthera
a taxonomic category that contains all the species of a particular group of
felids. In North America, the term panther
is commonly used for the
Cougar; in Latin America it is most often used to mean a Jaguar. Elsewhere in
the world it refers to the Leopard (originally individual animals with longer
tails were deemed panthers and others were leopards; it is a common
misconception that the term panther necessarily refers a melanistic individual).
Comment "Me too. I have property at exit 81 and have had a big black cat that looked like the pink panther walk past me. I had a firearm and a big dog. I had no intention of harming it. ........"
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Melanism is most common in the Jaguar (Panthera onca) - where it is due
to a dominant gene mutation - and the Leopard (Panthera pardus) - where
it is due to a recessive gene mutation. Close examination of one of these black
cats will show that the typical markings are still there, and are simply hidden
by the surplus of the black pigment melanin. Cats with melanism can co-exist
with litter mates that do not have this condition. In cats that hunt mainly at
night the condition is not detrimental. White panthers also exist, these being
albino or leucistic individuals of the same three species.
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It is probable that melanism is a favourable evolutionary mutation with a
selective advantage under certain conditions for its possessor, since it is more
commonly found in regions of dense forest, where light levels are lower.
Melanism can also be linked to beneficial mutations in the immune system.
|Are black panthers supposed to be in south
georgia, several have been seen in this area, fifty miles west of
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These are the most common form of black panther in captivity and have been
selectively bred for decades as exhibits or exotic pets (this inbreeding for the
sake of appearance has adversely affected temperament). They are smaller and
more lightly built than leopards. The spotted pattern is still visible on black
leopards, especially from certain angles where the effect is that of printed
silk. Skin color is a mixture of blue black gray and purple with rosettes. A
black panther (leopard) is able to hunt and kill animals outweighing them by
more than 1,350 pounds but this is rare because of competition from tigers and
Black leopards are reported from most densely-forested areas in south-western
China, Burma, Assam and Nepal; from Travancore and other parts of southern India
and are said to be common in Java and the southern part of the Malay Peninsula
where they may be more numerous than spotted leopards. They are less common in
tropical Africa, but have been reported from Ethiopia (formerly Abyssinia), the
forests of Mount Kenya and the Aberdares. One was recorded by Peter
Turnbull-Kemp in the equatorial forest of Cameroon.
Adult black panthers (leopards) are more temperamental (nervous or vicious)
than their spotted counterparts. It is a myth that their mothers often reject
them at a young age because of their colour. In actuality, they are more
temperamental because they have been inbred to preserve the coloration. The poor
temperament has been bred into the strain as a side-effect of inbreeding. It is
this poor temperament that leads to problems of maternal care in captivity as
the proximity of humans stresses the mother. According to Funk and Wagnalls'
Wildlife Encyclopaedia, black leopards are less fertile than normal leopards
having average litters of 1.8, compared to 2.1. This may be due to their
In the early 1980s, Glasgow Zoo, Scotland acquired a 10 year old black
leopard from Dublin Zoo, Ireland. She was exhibited for several years before
moving to Madrid Zoo, Spain. This leopard had a uniformly black coat profusely
sprinkled with white hairs as though draped with spider webs. She was therefore
nicknamed the Cobweb Panther. The condition appeared to be vitiligo and as she
aged, the white became more extensive. Since then, other Cobweb Panthers have
been reported and photographed in zoos.
In jaguars, the mutation is dominant hence black jaguars can produce both
black and spotted cubs, but spotted jaguars only produce spotted cubs when bred
together. In leopards, the mutation is recessive and some spotted leopards can
produce black cubs (if both parents carry the gene in hidden form) while black
leopards always breed true when mated together. In stuffed mounted specimens,
black leopards often fade to a rusty colour, but black jaguars fade to chocolate
brown. The black jaguar was considered a separate species by indigenous peoples.
In Harmsworth Natural History (1910), WH Hudson writes:
The jaguar is a beautiful creature, the ground-colour of the fur a rich
golden-red tan, abundantly marked with black rings, enclosing one or two small
spots within. This is the typical colouring, and it varies little in the
temperate regions; in the hot region the Indians recognise three strongly marked
varieties, which they regard as distinct species - the one described; the
smaller jaguar, less aquatic in his habits and marked with spots, not rings;
and, thirdly, the black variety. They scout the notion that their terrible
"black tiger" is a mere melanic variation, like the black leopard of the Old
World and the wild black rabbit. They regard it as wholly distinct, and affirm
that it is larger and much more dangerous than the spotted jaguar; that they
recognise it by its cry; that it belongs to the terra firma rather than to the
water-side; finally, that black pairs with black, and that the cubs are
invariably black. Nevertheless, naturalists have been obliged to make it
specifically one with Felis onca, the familiar spotted jaguar, since, when
stripped of its hide, it is found to be anatomically as much like that beast as
the black is like the spotted leopard.
The gene is incompletely dominant. Individuals with two copies of the gene
are darker (the black background colour is more dense) than individuals with
just one copy whose background colour may appear to be dark charcoal rather than
A black jaguar called Diablo has been accidentally crossed with a lioness
named Lola at Bear Creek Sanctuary, Barrie, Canada resulting in a charcoal
coloured "black jaglion" female as well as a tan coloured spotted jaglion male.
It therefore cannot be said that the melanistic gene is dominant over lion
There are no authenticated cases of truly melanistic Cougars. Black Cougars
have been reported in Kentucky, one of which had a paler belly. There have also
been reports of glossy black Cougars from Kansas and eastern Nebraska. These are
known as the North American Black Panther (NABP). None have ever been
photographed or shot in the wild, and none have been bred. There is wide
consensus among breeders and biologists that the animal does not exist and is a
cryptid. Sightings are current attributed to mistaken species identification by
non feline experts, and memetic exaggeration of size.
In his "Histoire Naturelle" (1749), Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon,
wrote of the "Black Cougar": "M. de la Borde, King’s physician at Cayenne,
informs me, that in the [South American] Continent there are three species of
rapacious animals; that the first is the jaguar, which is called the tiger; that
the second is the couguar [sic], called the red tiger, on account of the uniform
redness of his hair; that the jaguar is of the size of a large bull-dog, and
weighs about 200 pounds (90 kg); that the couguar is smaller, less dangerous,
and not so frequent in the neighbourhood of Cayenne as the jaguar; and that both
these animals take six years in acquiring their full growth. He adds, that there
is a third species in these countries, called the black tiger, of which we have
given a figure under the appellation of the black couguar."
"The head," says M. de la Borde, "is pretty similar to that of the common
cougar; but the animal has long black hair, and likewise a long tail, with
strong whiskers. He weighs not much above forty pounds. The female brings forth
her young in the hollows of old trees." This black couguar is most likely a
margay or ocelot, which are under forty pounds, live in trees, and do occur in a
Another description of a black cougar was provided by Mr Pennant: "Black
tiger, or cat, with the head black, sides, fore part of the legs, and the tail,
covered with short and very glossy hairs, of a dusky colour, sometimes spotted
with black, but generally plain: Upper lips white: At the corner of the mouth a
black spot: Long hairs above each eye, and long whiskers on the upper lip: Lower
lip, throat, belly, and the inside of the legs, whitish, or very pale
ash-colour: Paws white: Ears pointed: Grows to the size of a heifer of a year
old: Has vast strength in its limbs.-- Inhabits Brasil and Guiana: Is a cruel
and fierce beast; much dreaded by the Indians; but happily is a scarce species;"
(Pennant's Synops. of quad., p 180). According to his translator Smellie
(1781), the description was taken from two black cougars exhibited in London
some years previously.
Reported Black Cougars In the United States
In Florida, a few melanistic bobcats exist. They have been caught, and have
also apparently been mistaken for panthers. Ulmer (1941) presents photographs
and descriptions of two animals captured in Martin County in 1939 and 1940. In
the photographs, they appear black, and one of the hunters called them black.
The Academy specimen, upon close examination, is far from black. The most
heavily pigmented portions are the crown and dorsal area. In most lights these
areas appear black, but at certain angles the dorsal strip has a decidedly
mahogany tint. The mahogany colouring becomes lighter and richer on the sides.
The underparts are lightest, being almost ferruginous in color. The chin, throat
and cheeks are dark chocolate-brown, but the facial stripes can be seen clearly.
The limbs are dark mahogany. In certain lights the typical spot-pattern of the
Florida bobcat can be distinctly seen on the side, under parts and limbs. The
Bronx Park animal appears darker and the spots are not visible, although the
poor light in the quarantine cage may have been the reason.
Adult male bobcats are between 28 to 47" long (with a a short bobbed tail),
and are between 18 to 24" high at shoulder height. (Females are slightly
smaller.) Florida Cougars are between 23 to 32" at shoulder height, and between
5 to 7' including tail. Bobcats weight between 16 to 30 pounds, whereas
Florida Cougars are between 50 to 154 pounds.
Another explanation for black Cougar sightings is the Jaguarundi, a cat very
similar genetically to the Cougar, which grows around 65 cm (30 inches) with 45
cm (20 in) of tail. Their coat goes through a reddish-brown phase and a dark
grey phase. While their acknowledged natural range ends in southern Texas, a
small breeding population was introduced to Florida in the 1940's, and there are
rumours of people breeding them as pets there as well - in Central America they
are known as relatively docile pets, as far as non-domesticated animals go.
Jaguarundis hunting territory can extend to 100 km wide for males, and it's
quite possible that very small populations which rarely venture out of deep
forests are responsible for many or most of the sightings. While they are
significantly smaller than a Cougar, differently colour, and much lower to the
ground (many note a resemblance to the weasel), a little memory bias combined
with their secretive nature could explain many of the sightings in the
Another possibility are black Jaguars, who are believed to have ranged North
America in historical memory. Melanistic Jaguars aren't common in nature, and
more importantly, Jaguars themselves were hunted to near extinction in the
'60's. However, while they do not look exactly like Cougars, but they have the
requisite size, and it's conceivable that there could be, for example, a
breeding population hidden in the Louisiana bayou. The Jaguar has had several
photographically confirmed and many unconfirmed sightings in Arizona, New
Mexico, and southwest Texas, but not outside that region.
- ^ Ulmer, Jr., Fred A. 1941. Melanism in the Felidae,
with Special Reference to the Genus Lynx. Journal of Mammalogy, Vol. 22, No. 3.
Me too. I have property at exit 81 and have had a big black cat
that looked like the pink panther walk past me. I had a firearm
and a big dog. I had no intention of harming it. The dog just
looked at it, and it did not seem to be worried about us. I have
seen it many times. I was wondering what it was and if it could
i have seen a big black cat @ about 3PM on I 10 going west to
California from Phoenix, Az. in 2009 it was a big black cat
about the size of a large dog and it was along side of the big
road about 50 miles before the state line ... I was thinking I
would not want to be outside of the car w/ a big black cat like
that ... then I read on the internet that big black cats are not
out in that part of the country ... who knows but i seen one ...
they are beautiful animals. there are several panthers living
around my home. i love knowing that an endangered animal lives
so close to me. people get a glance of them every once in a
while. i just love them. - Brandy
I have seen this animal in elk county Kansas, I thought I was
seeing things, it called to a mate then I seen it coming through
the second pasture of the farm, tail straight u. Plenty of game
there, deer, turkey, quail, cows
these animals are amzing! and so is this site.
i needed this information for a speech....boring. but yeah this
is awsome!!!! - trinity
I love all the facts on black panthers
i love the site you gave me a lot of information plus
it's cool real cool. villa
black panthers are th best
I love black panthers:)
im goin to an animal fancy dress club night nd im goin as a
I'm doing a research paper on the Black Panther!
I'm going to pick the black panther as my school mascot.
man they are wickkkkkkeeeddd
good site and thanks for the information about the panther for
err... dude, their WILD!!!!
black panthers are the best!!!! i would love to have one for a
pet! plus, they love to play. sooooo coool-D'Armond
my fovurite animal iz v black panther doe. he iz like well wild
doe!! hiz name iz beyonce
don't count on it jessica
i like this website a lot. i got a lot of things off this page i
Like dinosaurs, I think our posterity will study about these
animals and would be able to know about them only from study
materials. Man has become very greedy. - Chidambaram
I love all these animals! I would never like to see them
gone...and it's such a shame to know that many more breeds of
animals have died off. I wish I could do more to keep them
panthers are the most amazing animals on this planet