The Black Panther is the rarest of all spotted leopards. For a Panther to be black, it must have two 'black coat" genes, one from it's mother & one from the father.
Black Panthers are common in the jungles of India & Southeast Asia, they are also found in tropical rain forests in Java & Malaysia, some believe that half of all leopards in Malaysia are black.
Black Panthers have very sharp eyesight & night vision, they are great hunters, stalking their prey may take hours, after a kill, the black panther will eat what it wants and hide the rest of the carcass in a tree, away from other predators.
People often describe the Black Panther as dangerous & make it look like a wicked super-leopard, the belief that the Black Panther is more savage is just a myth. The Black Panther"s dark color does not make it stronger or more dangerous than other big cats. It's body is often larger because of it's better diet, meaning it can kill larger prey.
The spotted leopard is an endangered species, it has enemies such as, lions, tigers, pythons, packs of wild dogs, however, humans are the animal's most dangerous enemy. Black Panthers & spotted Leopards are hunted for sport because some think they are man-eaters & their coats are valuable to the fur trade.
Nearly always hunting at night and early morning, from the tree and the ground. This is the most aggressive and feared animals in the world. Pound for pound, the leopard is the most deadly animal in the world. They are capable of killing an animal up to 1200 pounds and then drag that animal up 30 feet into a tree, before eating its prey.
The black leopard is referred to as the "Panther", but there is actually no animal strictly known as a black panther. There are only two black cats in the world; the black leopard from Asia, and the black jaguar from South America
The word panther, derived from the Latin "Panthera" actually means cat, and is a nick name for any cat, or a black cat as well. Also, Panthera is the family name for all big cats.
With the longest tail of the cat family, the leopard is some what of an acrobat. They can jump as high as 18 feet straight up in the air, 30 feet in a single leap, and move at speeds over 45 miles per hour.
SIZES
Length: Head and body 48 inches. Tail 24 inches.
Weight: 90-150 pounds.
BREEDING
Sexual Maturity: 2.5 years
Mating: Non-seasonal
Gestation: 90-105 days
No. of Young: 1-6 cubs
LIFESTYLE
Habit: Solitary, except in breeding season, when they come together to mate.
Diet: Small Mammals and Birds.
Lifespan: 12 years (up to 20 years in captivity.)
RANGE: Far East in China, stretching throughout southern Africa south of the Sahara. Parts of Arabia. Also a few scattered populations in north Africa. Occupying areas from 4-12 square miles (10-30 Sq. Km.) with overlapping boundaries with other leopards.
ENDANGERED: Today over 100,000 are living in the wild, though dropping rapidly due to human destruction of land.
Far East in China, stretching throughout southern Africa south of the Sahara. Parts of Arabia. Also a few scattered populations in north Africa. Occupying areas from 4-12 square miles (10-30 Sq. Km.) with overlapping boundaries with other leopards.
ENDANGERED: Today over 100,000 are living in the wild, though dropping rapidly due to human destruction of land.
