{"id":33783,"date":"2023-11-22T12:21:24","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T11:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bd1b0cca-5207-4404-8c2f-4501bfc9c48d"},"modified":"2023-11-22T12:35:38","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T11:35:38","slug":"what-is-a-black-panther","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/what-is-a-black-panther\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a black panther?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is a black panther? Do black panthers really exist? Stuart Blackman explains <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 22 November 2023 at 11:21 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Black panthers are not a species as such. At least 11 of the world\u2019s 40 or so species of cat have black forms \u2013 individuals whose fur contains high levels of the pigment melanin – melanin determines how dark they are, as the more pigment an animal has the darker it is. <\/p>

Black panthers are therefore not a distinct species, but \u2018melanistic\u2019 members of the genus Panthera<\/em> (lions<\/a>, tigers<\/a>, leopards, jaguars and snow leopards<\/a>). <\/p>

In practice, the term black panther only really applies to leopards and jaguars, as fully black individuals don\u2019t occur in the other species. Melanistic leopards and jaguars<\/a> are rare, perhaps because melanism offers better camouflage<\/a> only in the densest, darkest forests.<\/p>

Searching for black leopards: Will Burrard-Lucas documents his remarkable journey to find and photograph this legendary big cat.<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
In many African countries black panthers are revered and considered symbols of power, darkness, death and rebirth.<\/p>
Main image: Getty Images<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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