In the Americas there are black jaguars and in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, there are black leopards. These wild cats are very different from one another! So, to be accurate, we can not call all of them panthers.  We should call them by their real names of black leopards or black jaguars.

But why are these cats black? Why do they look so different from yellow leopards and jaguars? Are they really the same cats?

The color is rather like blue eyes in people. Once in awhile a person is born with blue eyes.  Most people have brown or green eyes. (Blue eyes come from what is called a 'recessive gene'). 

In the same way the black color in cats is also very rare, and also the result of a recessive gene. A black cub can be born in the same litter as yellow brothers and sisters. We say that the black ones are 'melanistic'. This is the scientific word which means 'dark in color'.

Now, are you ready for a big suprise? Did you know that these black cats do have spots? They are just very hard to see. If you are lucky, and look closely at their fur in the sunlight, at just the right angle, you might see that they're really a dark chocolate brown with black spots!

Shebeth, the black leopard at the Project Survival's Cat Haven.

In this photo you can just see the
underlying spot pattern of a black leopard.

Black leopards and jaguars can look very black but in bright sunlight the same animals may look dark chocolate brown with black spots.

Here's some more suprising facts:

• The offspring of black cats can be born the more common yellowish color.
• They are not stronger than their spotted brothers or sisters.
• Unlike even rarer white cats they have a good  chance of survival because their black color is great camoflage. Black cats are most often found in the rainforests of the world where they seem to melt into the shadows. They can hide and hunt as well as other wild cats.

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