Black panther, colloquial term used to refer to large cats classified in the genus Panthera, characterized by a black coat or a concentration of black spots on a dark background. The term black panther is generally applied to the black leopard (Panthera pardus) of Africa and Asia and the American jaguar (P. onca) of Central and South America; Black-haired variants of these species are also known as black panthers and black jaguars, respectively. Additionally, the term is sometimes used to describe dark lynxes, lynxes, jaguars, tigers, and pumas (cougars), despite reports of black representatives of some species, such as such as puma, has not been confirmed.
Source: National Geographic UK
The black coat color is thought to be due to the expression of a recessive allele in leopards and a dominant allele in jaguars. In each species, certain combinations of alleles stimulate the production of large amounts of the pigment melanin in the animal’s fur and skin. Although melanin concentrations often vary between members of the same litter, it is rare for individuals to have completely black fur.
The appearance of the black coat can be influenced by other factors, such as the angle of incident light and the animal’s life stage. For example, some leopards and jaguars have completely black fur, because the finer details of their fur can be obscured by diffused light. In full sunlight, however, a faint mottled pattern of the coat may appear. In addition, darkened or near-black coats may result from the retention of dark spots from the juvenile stage, which may complement other concentrations of dark plumage in adulthood. In other species, such as the lynx (Lynx), the appearance of black or near-black plumage can also be explained by seasonal color changes.
Jaguars and jaguars are uncommon, with some studies estimating that at most 11% of these animals have this coloration. However, confirmed leopard sightings are less frequent and confirmed black leopard sightings, particularly in Africa, are rare events. Before the most recent verified observation of a black panther took place in Kenya in 2019, it had been 110 years since it was photographed (and thus confirmed) in Africa.
