Do black panthers exist?

tents for camping black wolf image

jamesd

I am from Kentucky and yes i have seen a BLACK PANTHER. It was running across the parking lot at Paintsville Lake State park. I was on guard duty that night. This thing wasnt slim like a house cat. It was very Muscualar in the shoulders and black as coal. It was running across a small area behind the guard booth where you drive to the Rv and tent areas. but it was running from the direction of the lake to the wooded area to the right of the guard booth. I saw it and that Doctor whoever he is on Monster quest is DEAD WRONG because Black Panthers are in Kentucky. I had a cousin who caught a black cat when i was about 7. This cat was about half the size of a boxer dog and its teeth were about 1 inch long and about 3/16 inch thick where they went into its gums. About the size of a dogs canines. This cat was kinda mean and sneaky. Ill never forget this cat. Im thinking maybe an offspring of one of these panthers. No pictures of this cat so noones gonna believe me. This was about 1979 or so. I saw this thing from about 25 feet and it was Muscular in the front shoulders. Also we saw a Cougar at the same lake jump down on a picknick table and eat someones hamburger meat. These people left it there because their grill was heating up to fry them. The Cougar was slimmer than what we should NAME the BLACK PANTHER and meke it a new species. Heres the reason. Being so close to it i know that the tail was nearly the same length. But this cat was bigger in build in the front shoulders or as a scientist ( WHOM DONT KNOW EVERYTHING)haunches is way bigger and more Muscular. This cat would tear a cougar or (Mountain Lion) a new one in a confrontation. If you get what im saying. So im telling you people now i purposely answered my own question because im sick of hearing all this garbled trash talk saying there is no black panther. Remember the Snow leopard. Well They discovered a new species of slow leopard in 2007. Do not tell me we have discovered all things because we have not.

I saw a guy on Monster quest claim that a Black Panther wasnt a different species and black pantheres dont really exist as a species.Well I hereby name this Species Black Panther. If some idiot can breed 2 pure breed dogs and call it a picapoo after making a mutt just because he or she is rich I CAN NAME THIS CAT. I know they are here whether we like it or not. Personally i find them stunningly beautiful. I saw one up close for a fact. Now for all you scientist who think you know how to study something. First of all you dont get on a 1 hour program (Which Sucked By the way) and go to areas for 2 days at a time and expect a sighting. Heck you dont go to a place for 5 years and expect a sighting when what you are looking for is this elusive. YOU LIVE there if you really want to know. Also you go out at night alot and go on alot of camping trips and hiking trips. It may take a year it may take 10 years. However you may be one of those people who always get what you want because of luck and see one in the first week (Of course terrified and in disbelief like i was) They are real and they are a different species. You are not staying in a place long enough to see one. If you scientists wanna see one take my advise. Its gonna take more perhaps than even 15 years of living in a very secluded wooded area. There you go there is your tool use it you will see one. James Dheel out.
Also this thing was Way bigger than a bobcat. About the size of a black lab or rotweiler. No this was not any bobcat. I was 25 to 35 feet from it . It was Very muscular in front also. And like i said way larger than a bobcat.Id say by the density of its muscles about close to 100 LBS.

Answer
There is no actual species called the black panther - it's just the name commonly used for melanistic leopards. That is, leopards with an excess of the dark pigment melanin, resulting in an almost entirely black coat (the markings will still show up against the background in certain lights). Leopards are native to Asia and Africa, not the US, but of course there is always the possibility of one escaping from a zoo or private owner. In the UK, where I live, there are numerous sightings of large black cats which are believed to be the descendants of pets released in the 1970s, after a new law meant you had to have a licence to keep them. This would explain the frequency of black individuals - humans breed curiosities like melanistic animals far more often than they would occur naturally.

Some people also refer to melanistic jaguars as panthers. Jaguars are native to South and Central America, but recent evidence suggests they are moving north and may be recolonising the US - a couple have been caught on camera-traps in the extreme southern US. Given that normally-coloured animals are far more common than melanistic ones, the likelihood is that a jaguar seen in the US would be normally coloured rather than black, but of course that doesn't mean it's impossible for a black jaguar to turn up in the US.

Melanism can occur in any species, so a black puma (also called the cougar, mountain lion, etc.) is not out of the question, and this species is found in large areas of the US. However, black pumas are almost unheard of - if you saw one, you are very lucky.

All three of these animals are larger than a dog such as a Boxer, though of course the one your cousin caught could have been a juvenile. A leopard can weigh up to 200lb, a jaguar up to 350lb (though that is exceptional), and a puma up to 230lb. They are also longer than a dog. I'm not doubting that you saw something, but are you absolutely sure that it wasn't a dog, wolf, bear or something else? The mind can play tricks, especially in the dark. Was it definitely feline, and not a smaller cat like a bobcat? (The tail should be a clue - bobcats have short, 'bobbed' tails, whereas leopards, jaguars and pumas all have long tails). And was it definitely black, rather than appearing black due to being in silhouette or covered in mud?

How does this sound? And what are good names?

Nicole M

"Whatâs wrong?â He asked me.
âIâm scared.â My voice was shaky and could hardly level to that of a whisper.
âDonât be.â I tried to find his eyes, but the moon was hidden behind the clouds and I could barley see the outline of them. His eyes were a golden color. âIâll protect you.â His voice sent me away to Heaven; I scooted closer to him, my mummy sleeping bad making a funny noise as it rubbed against the floor of our tent.
A treeâs branch scraped against the side of the tent and I jumped out of my skin in fear of what it might be. âItâs alright, Iâm here, I promise nothing will hurt you.â He unzipped part of his own mummy sleeping bag and put his arm around me. I got closer to him. He felt so warm, his hand made itâs way up my arm, then found my hair and started to run through it.
A wolf seemed to be scraeming at me. I tensed, my head now right by his chest. His sweater was a dark black color so I couldnât really see it, I could only see the outline. His chin rested on the top of my head, I tried to get closer to him, but we were already as close as we could get. âItâs alright.â I relaxed; even if he was lying to me it felt reassuring.
My arm was out of my sleeping bag and lying on my side. He stopped running his hand through my hair and found my hand. Are fingers entwined and it felt like this moment would never end, like time had frozen over in this perfect moment.
My stomach was twirling, and nothing could ruin this moment, I thought.
When he breathed out the air would go down the back of my shirt, it felt warm, and I could almost feel the peppermint sent in his breath. I matched my breathing with his; he smelt good. We had been camping here for a week and he still smelt good. I could smell the smallest bit of fire on him, from the smoke the fire let out. I could smell a million different trees and bugs and waters and grasses on him. He smelt like a forest of his own.
Something moved behind me and he stiffened his hold on me. My fingers clung to his as fast as his tightened around mine. His arm was around my stomach and I knew that if we needed to run, he could haul me up and take off with me in his arms. I felt safe with him. Complete. âGet some rest. Youâve been up for two days now.â He spoke the words through my hair. â Iâm worried about you, and I wont be able to sleep until I know that you are having sweet dreams.â
I wanted to tell him how much I loved him. I wanted to kiss him, to hold onto him forever, but the moment passed all to quickly.
The tent ziper went up and a dark figure appeared before us glooming down upon us, we were facing death in the eye.

I've never read "Kitty and the Midnight Hour"... But thanks for the criticism!

Answer
I like it. It reminds me of "Kitty and the Midnight Hour" by Carrie Vaughn, a novel about werewolves.

You are brave for putting this out for everyone to read. I'm an artist & it always feels like I'm putting part my soul out there to be critiqued. So some gentle, constructive criticism:

Use Spellcheck & proof read. 1st paragragh- "my mummy sleeping BAD" bag
"A wolf seemed to be "scraeming" (sp) at me" The savage cry of a wolf ripped through the night.

"smelled" not "Smelt" "he smelled so good, even after a week in the woods. A hint of smoke from the campfire, rich and earthy like the forest. The deep musk of male, made up the intoxicating essence that was him"

Use a Thesaurus- it can be a writers best pal.

Names: "Forest Wild" "Feral" "Wolf Moon" ?????

Great job! You have the talent!

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