Black panthers, or the "ghosts of the forest", are melanistic jaguars (Central/South America) or leopards (Africa/Asia) and still retain their spotted skin. While their fur is black, you can still see their spots in the sunlight. Only about 6% of the leopard/jaguar population are black panthers. Black panthers are excellent climbers and swimmers, have amazing hearing and eyesight, and can leap up to 20 feet!
Black panthers are in Near Threatened Status, meaning they are on their way to an offical Endangered status if numbers continue to decline. While there are many threats to this animal including poaching, their biggest threat is habitat loss where their jungle and forest homes are being destroyed by human activity.
