So this raises the question: Are there black panthers roaming around Texas?<\/p>\n
Curious Texas went on a hunt<\/a> for the answer. Thankfully, for everyone\u2019s sake, experts say the chances of any of us running into the apex predator out in the wild are relatively low. But let\u2019s explore how we got here. <\/p>\n Curious Texas<\/p>\n By signing up, you agree to our\u00a0Terms of Service<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n Panthers 101<\/p>\n A \u201cpanther\u201d is a broad term used for many large cats, such as mountain lions, leopards and jaguars. Sam Kieschnick, urban wildlife biologist at Texas Parks and Wildlife, said he as well as other experts, associate the word \u201cpanther\u201d with a mountain lion. <\/p>\n A mountain lion sleeps at the Fort Worth Zoo on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Fort Worth. The lion came to the zoo in 2014 after being abandoned as a cub.<\/p>\n Christine Vo \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n Mountain lions, said Melissa Blair, mammal keeper at the Fort Worth Zoo<\/a>, are also called pumas and cougars in addition to panthers. But mountain lions are not black, she said, they have a solid, light brown coat. <\/p>\n \u201cIf I had a nickel for every time I\u2019ve been told about a black panther in Dallas-Fort Worth, I would have a pocket full of change,\u201d Kieschnick said. \u201cSimply put, there is no evidence of melanism [increased amount of black or nearly black pigmentation] in mountain lions.\u201d <\/p>\n The black panther that nonexperts are typically referring to is either a jaguar or a leopard, which look very similar. <\/p>\n The difference between a leopard and a jaguar, no matter the color, is their size, where they\u2019re found and a slight contrast in their rosette patterns. Cheetahs look similar, but their coats are just covered in black spots. <\/b><\/p>\n According to Big Cat Rescue<\/a>, jaguars are much stockier than leopards, with shorter legs and a shorter tail, giving them \u201cmore of a pit bull type appearance.\u201d As for their pattern, jaguars have spots in the center of their rosettes, which is not the case for leopards. <\/p>\n A jaguar named Xochi walks back and forth at the Fort Worth Zoo on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Fort Worth. <\/p>\n Christine Vo \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n Contrary to common belief, black leopards and jaguars still have the traditional rosette patterns. It\u2019s just not always visible, especially depending on the lighting. <\/p>\n Leopards are found in Africa and Asia, while jaguars are found in the Americas. <\/p>\n Black panthers in Texas? <\/p>\n Jaguars were once found here in Texas. According to Texas Tech\u2019s Natural Science Research Laboratory<\/a>, records and sightings of jaguars in Texas date from the late 1800s and early 1900s. <\/p>\n The cat was hunted to extinction in Texas in the 1940s. The last confirmed sighting of a jaguar in the state was in 1948, when one was shot about three miles southeast of Kingsville, according to the Natural Science Research Laboratory. <\/p>\n African leopard Carolina stands on rocks at the Fort Worth Zoo on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Fort Worth.<\/p>\n Christine Vo \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n Consequently, there are no known jaguars, much less melanistic ones, roaming across Texas. The same is true for leopards. <\/p>\n However, the Fort Worth Zoo has a melanistic African leopard in its Predators of Asia & Africa<\/a> exhibit. Her name is Carolina, and she\u2019s housed there with her brother, Hatch, who has the traditional golden-colored coat. <\/p>\n \u201cNot a lot of zoos have a melanistic leopard, so it\u2019s very unique to be able to showcase this kind of trait,\u201d Blair said. \u201cPeople always hear about it, but no one ever gets to see one.\u201d<\/p>\n A playful and dynamic duo, Carolina and Hatch are just three years old and they have been at the Fort Worth Zoo since the exhibit opened about two years ago. <\/p>\n African leopard Carolina claws her brother Hatch at the Fort Worth Zoo on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Fort Worth. Carolina is a melanistic leopard, also known as black panthers. <\/p>\n Christine Vo \/ Staff Photographer<\/p>\n Blair said black leopards, like Carolina, are rare. According to Panthera<\/a> \u2014 an international nonprofit organization focused on conservation of wild cat species \u2014 the frequency of melanism, in both jaguars and leopards globally, is about 10%. <\/p>\n \u201c[Melanism] is more of a recessive gene [in leopards], so there\u2019s not many out there,\u201d Blair said. \u201cSo [Carolina] is more of a rare species \u2014 she is a rare gem.\u201d <\/p>\n Blair said Carolina is one of the only melanistic leopards in the state. However, there could be more in captivity, like Shadow, who\u2019s a black leopard that was rescued by In-Sync<\/a> Exotics Wildlife Rescue & Educational Center in Wylie. <\/p>\n So, what was the animal?<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/7QMJ75PMSZB7RM7FNBHBK3VUQU.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"African](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/WXZEJ37SI5ANNMW4DOTJMR4YNE.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"African](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/CO2Q66LZIFEGZGLCEFSURQOQT4.jpg\")
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