Black Panther

big cats · camouflage · genetics

Two different cats. Black panthers aren't their own species. They're either melanistic leopards found in Africa and Asia, or melanistic jaguars found in Central and South America.

Spots still hiding. Even though black panthers look completely black, their trademark rosette spot patterns are still there on their fur, just invisible against the dark color.

Different genetic rules. In leopards, the gene for black fur is recessive, meaning a cat needs two copies to be black. In jaguars, the gene is dominant, so even one copy can make them black.

Forest masters. Black panthers live mostly in tropical forests where the darkness helps them hunt prey without being seen.

Excess pigment power. Black panthers have more of a dark pigment called melanin than their regular-colored cousins, which gives them their stunning all-black appearance.