Not a species: a black panther is a black (melanistic) leopard or jaguar. Its coat has excess black pigment, but the usual rosettes are still there underneath. Black leopards live in Africa and Asia, and black jaguars in Central and South America.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?Yes
A black panther is a leopard or a jaguar, and both have killed people.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
Leopards and jaguars are mostly active from dusk to dawn.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAsia, Africa, Central America, South America
HabitatRainforest, Forest
ColoursBlack
SizeLarge
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for12–15 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Mostly tropical forests: black leopards in Africa and Asia, black jaguars in Central and South America.
Did you know
Not a species: it is a leopard or jaguar with black fur, spots still faintly there.
In Peninsular Malaysia, almost all leopards are black.
There is no confirmed case of a truly black cougar.
Often confused with
- Leopard
A black panther in Africa or Asia is a leopard with black fur.
Compare side by side - Jaguar
A black panther in the Americas is a jaguar with black fur.
Compare side by side
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