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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRare African black leopard captured by camera trap's extraordinary photos
Images were taken by British wildlife photographer, Will Burrard-Lucas, in Laikipia Wilderness Camp in Kenya
The wild African black leopard has been the stuff of legend and campfire story for decades.
The animal whose coat is sooty black as a result of melanism, the opposite of albinism is extremely rare.
But a British wildlife photographer has taken the first professional camera trap photos of a wild black leopard in Africa.
Will Burrard-Lucas captured the images, which were released to the public on Monday, at the Laikipia Wilderness Camp in Kenya after hearing reports of sightings in the area.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/13/first-photograph-of-rare-african-black-leopard-captured-in-more-than-a-century
Now you can only hope that nobody decides to kill it and stand next to it.........................
Guy Whitey Corngood
(26,501 posts)hlthe2b
(102,333 posts)lunatica
(53,410 posts)It would be the last thing you see, and you would know it.
cab67
(2,999 posts)For some reason, they're more frequent in Asia. I don't think anyone knows why.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)Plus Africa has millions of square miles of wild country, whereas places like India and the East Asian countries are pretty heavily populated and the wildlife cant get away from people very easily.
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)We are definitely on their menu. We evolved together and I suspect they were a major killer of our distant ancestors. We forget. They dont. Rhetorical speaking. Big hairless monkey with no fangs or claws...but fire! And tools(weapons).
cab67
(2,999 posts)That being said, there are leopards in heavily populated parts of Africa.
jpak
(41,758 posts)demmiblue
(36,875 posts)IronLionZion
(45,503 posts)are looking at the camera as if to say "don't even think about hunting me, I'll rip your face off".
ronatchig
(575 posts)very similar has been sporadically reported from Florida northward into the Appalachian ranges for decades. It is called a panther by many. The n.American variety is as reclusive if not more secretive.
IronLionZion
(45,503 posts)Florida has a type of mountain lion/cougar
GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)A Leopard would eat a panther for lunch. They evolved to eat larger and stronger game. Panthers were minor predators when they evolved compared to the mega-fauna that existed at the time.
The mega-fauna still exist in Africa.
That said, as a Floridian I dream of seeing a panther. I once found a whitetail that had been killled and partially eaten by a panther. Very fresh. Believe me, standing there alone in the woods with no weapon was a spooky feeling. I knew panthers regularly returned to their kill to feed.
I beat the hell out there making lots of noise!
912gdm
(959 posts)FirstLight
(13,362 posts)It amazes me how there are still mysterious animals and places on Earth where humans haven't fucked things up...
Don't let Beavis and Butthead tRump see these photos.
Grammy23
(5,810 posts)malaise
(269,157 posts)He should have let sleeping kitties lie
DirtEdonE
(1,220 posts)What kind of monsters would do such a thing?
malaise
(269,157 posts)GulfCoast66
(11,949 posts)lilactime
(657 posts)FuzzyRabbit
(1,969 posts)catbyte
(34,425 posts)Fla Dem
(23,727 posts)Better left undiscovered. Sorry, if I'm a downer, I just know it'll happen.
On Edit: Just saw Malaise's post. Glad I wasnt alone in my thoughts.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)nor do they rely on them. They already know who will break the law to take them hunting and to drug the wildlife for their convenience.
bitterross
(4,066 posts)You're not a downer. You're a realist.
calimary
(81,423 posts)I didn't know there were such beautiful leopards!