Just looked it up.So a panther is just another name for a mountain lion or cougar.The black panther is a color phase of a mountain lion.Did not realize that.Why not just call them mountain lions?
Panther
(Quote)Panther is a general term used to describe various types of wild cats. The word “panther” comes from the Latin word “panthēra,” which comes from the Greek word “pánthēr,” a term that means “large spotted cat.” The word “panther’ is also similar to pundarikam, Sanskrit for tiger.
More about panthers
Panthera is a biological classification (the scientific identification of animals as individuals and in relationship to one another). It falls under the Felidae (cat) family and Pantherinae subfamily. Members of the Panthera include the lion, tiger, jaguar, and leopard.
black panther and cub
Types of panthers
Black panthers
black panther and a jaguarWild cats that have a dark (melanistic) color are often referred to as “panthers” or “black panthers,” including big and small wild cats such as jaguars, leopards, and jaguarundi. The word “melanin” means black or dark. Melanin is a type of pigment (coloring).
Looking closely at a melanistic cat’s skin, you will see the markings typically associated with that species. Large black (melanistic) wild cats in captivity are usually leopards or jaguars.
A litter can include both melanistic and non-melanistic cats.
Because most melanistic wild cats were found in jungles with less light than other environments, it was believed that melanism (dark coloring) was an inherited trait or condition that aided the cat’s survival—an evolutionary process of natural selection. New research suggests that melanism might be a helpful immune system mutation.
If you see a black panther in Africa or Asia, it is a leopard. A black panther in North, Central, or South America is a jaguar.
Black panthers in Asia and Africa (Leopards)
You will find black leopards amongst different African and Asian leopard species:
Javan leopard (Panthera p. melas)
African leopard (Panthera p. pardus)
Indian leopard (Panthera p. fusca)
Indochinese leopard (Panthera p. delacouri)
Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera p. kotiya)
Arabian leopard (Panthera p. nimr)
Amur leopard (Panthera p. orientalis)
Black panthers in the Americas (jaguars)
The offspring of jaguars can be either black or spotted. Two spotted jaguars who mate will only have spotted cubs. A black jaguar would have either two black jaguar parents or one black and one spotted jaguar parent.
White panthers
Two white jaguar panthers.White panthers can refer to white cougars, white leopards, and white jaguars. The white condition can occur for different reasons, including:
Leucism – a reduction in pigmentation
Albinism – the absence of pigmentation
Genetic mutation
Florida panther
image of a Florida pantherPanther is one of the cougar’s many names. There is even a cougar named the “Florida panther. ” The Florida panther is a subspecies of the cougar that inhabits southern Florida in the United States.
Florida panthers are endangered—less than 100 are believed to exist in the wild. At birth, a Florida Panther has spots and blue eyes. As they age, the spots start to fade, the cat’s fur turns tan, and the eyes turn yellow. The cat has a black-tipped tail and ears. The underbelly is white. Males can be over 7 feet long and weigh up to 159 lbs.
Florida panthers prey on hares, mice, deer, feral pigs, storks, waterfowl, and alligators. Female panthers raise their kittens in dens. The kittens will stay in the den for the first 6 weeks and then start hunting with their mother. They become independent at around 2 years of age.
![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/02/full-866-248849-download_25.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://trapperman.com/forum/attachments/usergals/2025/02/full-1790-248860-1000024710.jpg)
