In a clash of two big cats, a “black panther” faced off with another leopard in a wildlife sanctuary in India. Onlookers got a rare treat, and at least one person caught the skirmish on video. The footage from Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka shows two leopards—one with typical coloration and one melanistic (all black)—in a tree. The two big cats don’t really want to be together in that tree, and then they clash.
It’s not exactly common to see a melanistic leopard in the wild, let alone seeing one go up against another leopard in broad daylight. That’s why this video was popular back when it was taken in March 2021, and why it’s still being shared online today.
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Remember, a black panther isn’t a species. It’s a nickname for the melanistic version of either a leopard (Panthera pardus) or a jaguar (Panthera onca). Animals with melanism have a higher-than-normal level of melanin, resulting in very dark skin and/or fur. In this case, since this is India, we’re talking about leopards not jaguars (which live in the Americas).
Watch a so-called “black panther” and a regularly colored leopard going head to head in India here:
Saw today, 6th March, in Kabini wild life sanctuary — another epic encounter between the Black Panther and his adversary Scarface! Video credit: Vijay Prabhu. pic.twitter.com/151Ip1bMGz
— Nandan Nilekani (@NandanNilekani) March 6, 2021
Header stock image by chuchart duangdaw/Getty Images