Black Leopard (2024)

FAQs

How rare are black leopards? ›

Melanistic leopards and jaguars are uncommon, with some studies estimating that at most 11 percent of these animals have this coloration. Confirmed sightings, however, are less frequent, and confirmed sightings of black leopards, especially in Africa, are rare events.

These spotted felines may look similar but they're two very different species. The easiest way to tell them apart is by asking where you are. That's because leopards live in Africa (and some parts of Asia) while jaguars exist on the other side of the world throughout Central and South America.

The total population of leopards is thought to be around 700,000 individuals, so the approximate total population of black leopards is approximately 75,000 to 80,000 animals. The bulk of the leopard population is in Africa, with a much smaller population in parts of Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

Simply put, a “black panther” is not its own species—it's an umbrella term that covers any big cat with a black coat. A panther is defined as a melanistic color variant of other species in the Panthera genus of which both jaguars and leopards belong.

In general, black jaguar, black leopard and other black panther sightings have been reported in various areas across the United States, including but not limited to Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Kentucky and Mississippi.

Some people believe that black leopards are more aggressive and dangerous than their lighter-colored kin, but their behavior is the same. Black leopards are melanistic, which is a color variant caused by a recessive allele. Although leopards are beautiful animals, they are best admired from afar.

A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (Panthera pardus) and the jaguar (Panthera onca).

Technically, lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars are panthers, in the genus panthera. Leopards and jaguars sometimes have mutations that make them all black. Mountain lions, also called pumas, catamounts, and cougars, are sometimes called panthers colloquially, but they are not true panthers, and are never black.

Black panthers are actually leopards or jaguars

Rather than referring to a specific species of big cat, “black panther” is really a colloquial term used to refer to dark jaguars (Panthera onca) and leopards (Panthera pardus).

Wild animals like black panthers (which are melanistic leopards or jaguars) and leopards are not suitable or recommended as pets. Keeping big cats as pets poses numerous challenges and serious risks to both the animals and humans involved.

Are there black pumas? ›

Can pumas be all black? No. Unlike jaguars and leopards, pumas are not known to exhibit melanism (commonly referred to as “black panther” individuals).

The dark color, called melansim, is due to a recessive gene. Melanistic cubs can be born to spotted parents. Although melanistic, the black leopard has the same pattern of spots as any other leopard. There are no solid-black big cats.

A leguar or lepjag is the hybrid of a male leopard and a female jaguar. The terms jagulep and lepjag are often used interchangeably, regardless of which animal was the sire. Numerous lepjags have been bred as animal actors, as they are more tractable than jaguars.

The fossil record reveals that jaguars, American lions, cheetahs, lynx, puma and ocelots occurred in Florida alongside saber-toothed cats until about 10,000 years ago. Modern puma have been around for about 3 million years and they, along with bobcats, are the remaining wild cats still living in Florida.

The tiger is not only the biggest, but it's also the strongest big cat species. This size advantage plays a significant role in its ability to hunt and kill its prey. However, pound for pound it's the jaguar that comes out on top – making the jaguar species the strongest!

The Amur leopard, also known as the Far East leopard, is the world's rarest big cat. A subspecies of the leopard, these animals are found in the forested transboundary region that spans the Russian Far East and China.

This black cat isn't all black

A rare variant within the jaguar species, it's estimated only 11 per cent of jaguars have this dark colouration.

The Amur leopard is a nocturnal animal that lives and hunts alone – mainly in the vast forests of Russia and China. During the harsh winter, the hairs of that unique coat can grow up to 7cm long.

Leopard populations in Asia and northern Africa are listed as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act.