Actually, the panther is none other than one of the representatives of leopards. They are distinguished due to the fact that unlike ordinary leopards, to which we are accustomed, the panthers are animal-melanists having only one even coloring. That’s why they are called black panthers.
We decided to write about them separately from leopards because the panthers are more aggressive than most leopards. Panthers can approach pretty close to a person, because they do not feel fear at all.
Panther is a very beautiful and graceful animal. The body in length reaches 91-180 cm, the tail – 75-110 cm, weight usually 32-40 kg, but occasionally exceeds 100 kg. They are found exclusively in tropical countries, especially many on the island of Java.
Black individuals can appear in spotted parents on a par with kittens, which, like parents, have specks. But later, as happened in Java, panthers are gradually separated and interbreed only among themselves. Some zoologists say that there is a possibility of complete separation of the panther from leopards in the near future, which will turn them into a separate species.
Sometimes, this predator lives near the settlements, keeps alone and goes hunting at night. He perfectly climbs trees, often settling there for daytime rest or in ambush, and sometimes even catches on the trees of monkeys. However, in general, the panther hunts on the ground. Panthers sleep in the trees, stretched out on branches and hanging their paws down. They can jump on trees up to 5.5 meters high. There is one essential feature that distinguishes leopards from other big cats: it is a habit to drag their prey to trees. Thus, their food remains safe and will not be given to other predators – lions and hyenas.
Panthers are excellent predators. In this they are helped by well-developed sense organs. In addition, the coloring of the panther is the most suitable: in the dark they can not be seen, and they creep up completely silently.
Panthers, when they are well fed, will not attack even a small kid, if he will walk near the nose of a wild cat. But when the panther is hungry, she will throw everything. The danger for people is that panthers can settle near human habitation. If a panther is hungry for a long time, then a cat can easily enter villages and cities. Since panthers are night hunters, they often attack sleeping people. Although here the cannibals the panthers become much rarer than, say, tigers or lions.
