https://www.nationalgeographic...d-in-africa-century/


Link has video, photograph and article about the cat.

Cool

I saw one in the Moremi in Botswana in 1983 in daylight. Near Khwaai. It was surreal and took a while for it to register what I was seeing.

well i certainly hope that he has equal rights

Butchloc did a funny!!!!

Bagheera, must have moved from India.

Hope she raises lots of cubs to spread that gene.

I think the stuff about no confirmed sightings since 1909 is hogwash, but National Geographic is in the hogwash business these days, sadly. My understanding is that they are relatively common in Ethiopia (perhaps at the same rate that black jaguars are present in certain dense rainforest habitats in South America), and that at least one has been legally taken there in recent years.

There's a photo of one on this ecotourism page:

http://www.balemountainlodge.com/

I’ve seen one, but a black Cloud Leopard in eastern Borneo, where, as stated, they are more common.

I wasn’t quick enough to get a photo. Totally unexpected at 10am.

Rocdoc, those Borneo clouded leopard are of a darker shade than the other subspecies of clouded leopard aren't they? It would be logical to find a black one there.

quote:

Originally posted by sandyhunter:
I think the stuff about no confirmed sightings since 1909 is hogwash, but National Geographic is in the hogwash business these days, sadly. My understanding is that they are relatively common in Ethiopia (perhaps at the same rate that black jaguars are present in certain dense rainforest habitats in South America), and that at least one has been legally taken there in recent years.

There's a photo of one on this ecotourism page:

http://www.balemountainlodge.com/

If you happen to have a copy of Elgin Gates' book, "Trophy Hunter in Africa" on the shelf (which I do) and flip to page 26 (which I did) you'll see the melanistic phase tom leopard that Gates took with Jack Blacklaws (in Kenya as well, no less) back in the '50s. Rare, certainly...but no confirmed sightings since 1909? Please.

Come on, National Geographic; when a country boy with a high school diploma and a modest library of Africana can out-research you, perhaps it's time for you to find something else on which to report?

Glad to see another melanistic spottie, though...that's the good news!

Mark

They should go to Wakanda, they're are a lot there.

quote:

Originally posted by 376 steyr:
Rocdoc, those Borneo clouded leopard are of a darker shade than the other subspecies of clouded leopard aren't they? It would be logical to find a black one there.

Not sure if the normal phase is darker but their rosette pattern is quite different. Commonly black to blend in with the jungle. Saw it on a logging track in the hills near Central Kalimantan. The Dyaks call them cat or panther. The two dyaks I was with didn’t have much English but I exclaimed “cat” and they said “yes, cat”. Townsfolk wouldn’t know what you are talking about!

There is a a mount of a black panther on display at the Museum of Science in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I don’t know the history of it.

The taxidermy is not that good, but the skin has been well preserved. One can see, very clearly, the darker spots beneath the overall blackness of the leopard’s coat.

As an aside, the museum also contains the complete trophy and gun room of Col. Francis T. Colby of
Hamilton, Massachusetts. It is quite impressive.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...=650104905#650104905


AR link of a photo of Nassos with a 1990 Ethiopian leopard.

The one I saw was also seen by a French PH with Safari South and his parents. He was on a hunt with Joe Coogan and their clients at Machaba. That there is no siting in 100 years is obviously bullshit.

That cat has clearly visible spots, so I would call it pseudo-melanistic – maybe just splitting hairs .

When they say "their range across much of the continent has shrunk by at least 66 percent due to habitat loss and prey decline", it implies that melanistic animals are a species or a population, which is not correct. It’s the expression of a mutant gene, and as such may occur at random in any normal population. Just good luck to photograph this one.

Melenistic leopards are more common in the rain forests of India (south west), Ethiopia etc. They are occasionally seen in drier parts of India.

The clouded leopard of Borneo is totally different species. It is not even a subspecies. DNA studies have confirmed that the Borneo species is as different from the South Asian clouded leopard as are other big cats.

The Asian golden cat also produces melenistic examples as does the serval. The cheetah has the "king" version.

I sell Black Leopard and it is a very expensive hunt.

Have not shot one yet.

quote:

I think the stuff about no confirmed sightings since 1909 is hogwash

It is as others have pointed out here AND in the movie Mogambo with Clark Gable, there's a real video of one getting whacked of a log (Grace Kelly was underneath in a hole

Here is a Video

https://www.kiro7.com/news/tre...VlSKvoCxXJqsy9RPY6hE

https://www.washingtonpost.com...m_term=.7ba2cfc1ded2


Article, leopard definitely not first in 100 years.

Hah! Stop the presses!

WaPo exposes fake news!

If only their editors paid as much attention to their own reporters!

At least they got this one right.