The black panther is not a myth | For the first time …

WillBurrard-Lucas, a 35-year-old British photographer, made an unexpected feat: he realized his dream and that of many nature lovers. For the first time in 100 years, he captured the photo of a black leopard. The last record was dated 1909 concerning an expedition to Ethiopia, a treasure currently held at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. A female, accompanied by a larger leopard (probably her mother), was in Lakipia, in the Kenyan plain. The naturalist had visited the area in January of this year, after hearing rumors that residents confirmed the animal in the area. Historically, images of "the black panther" – also known as familiar language – are so unusual that waiting, over time, has become a myth.

"When the animal is melanized, that is to say that melanin (pigment that gives color to the skin) is expressed differently than normal, it causes an excess of pigmentation and becomes black. 39; is the reverse process of albinización, for which the feline acquires a very striking coloring, "says Patricia Saragüeta, PhD in biological chemistry from the Institute of Biology and Experimental Medicine of Conicet. In this way, the excessively black fur comes from a genetic variation – mutation – opposed to albinism, which only allows, in an underlying way, to glimpse the spots that traditionally characterize leopards.

"Melanism is very common in many animals, this can happen in cats but also in vipers or rabbits, each of which has different proportions, for example, the frequency in jaguars is higher than that of leopards" says Matías Pandolfi, doctor of biological sciences and researcher at the Conicet Institute of Biodiversity and Experimental and Applied Biology. And complete: "It is true that in Africa, it is very rare and that it is quite an event to have made a photograph, this is not the case in South-East Asia. In Malaysia, for example, there is a population of completely black, melanized leopards, which have been viewed in a high proportion. However, the cacophony that awakened this event is directly related to the negative trend of the African continent: since 1909, they had been warned only five times, although the existence of the cat was confirmed only by the iconic photo in Ethiopia.

The Panthera genus is made up of five species of big cats: lions, tigers, snow leopards, leopards and jaguars. Therefore, as Saragüeta argues, "what is commonly called" black panther "could be any kind of animal, this time a leopard was found, but it could have been a yaguarete. it is so rare to find these specimens and photograph them that the phenomenon has attracted all eyes.It is very difficult, in percentage, to find them of this color in Africa.

In the catches, one can see the water taking behind a prey and accompanied by an older woman who could be her mother. It is estimated that he is about a year old, since parental care lasts only two years, because adults laugh at it. "We observe it with an adult female and it is estimated that it could be the mother's action because leopards, unlike lions that live in groups, are quite lonely.They usually hunt at night, they can live in the jungle or in the woods and lie in the trees, "says Pandolfi.

The images were obtained at night, according to Burrard-Lucas in his personal blog, thanks to the technological system used. He used what is called a "camera trap", a set of devices equipped with sensors that "take" photos when the heat increases. After having prepared everything, he left in his truck and returned after several days. His luck was so great that he managed to freeze the portrait he had been waiting for so long. "Those who are most familiar with the existence of such exotic insects are the inhabitants who, soon, are attentive to its presence and attract nature lovers like Burrard-Lucas, precious images of a precious animal." concludes Saragüeta.

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