Panther is a general term used to describe various types of wild cats. The word “panther” comes from the Latin word “panthēra,” which comes from the Greek word “pánthēr,” a term that means “large spotted cat.” The word “panther’ is also similar to pundarikam, Sanskrit for tiger.
Types of panthers
Black panthers
Wild cats that have a dark (melanistic) color are often referred to as “panthers” or “black panthers,” including big and small wild cats such as jaguars, leopards, and jaguarundi. The word “melanin” means black or dark. Melanin is a type of pigment (coloring).
Looking closely at a melanistic cat’s skin, you will see the markings typically associated with that species. Large black (melanistic) wild cats in captivity are usually leopards or jaguars.
A litter can include both melanistic and non-melanistic cats.
Because most melanistic wild cats were found in jungles with less light than other environments, it was believed that melanism (dark coloring) was an inherited trait or condition that aided the cat’s survival—an evolutionary process of natural selection. New research suggests that melanism might be a helpful immune system mutation.
If you see a black panther in Africa or Asia, it is a leopard. A black panther in North, Central, or South America is a jaguar.
Black panthers in Asia and Africa (Leopards)
You will find black leopards amongst different African and Asian leopard species:
- Javan leopard (Panthera p. melas)
- African leopard (Panthera p. pardus)
- Indian leopard (Panthera p. fusca)
- Indochinese leopard (Panthera p. delacouri)
- Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera p. kotiya)
- Arabian leopard (Panthera p. nimr)
- Amur leopard (Panthera p. orientalis)
Black panthers in the Americas (jaguars)
The offspring of jaguars can be either black or spotted. Two spotted jaguars who mate will only have spotted cubs. A black jaguar would have either two black jaguar parents or one black and one spotted jaguar parent.
White panthers
White panthers can refer to white cougars, white leopards, and white jaguars. The white condition can occur for different reasons, including:
- Leucism – a reduction in pigmentation
- Albinism – the absence of pigmentation
- Genetic mutation
Florida panther
Panther is one of the cougar’s many names. There is even a cougar named the “Florida panther. ” The Florida panther is a subspecies of the cougar that inhabits southern Florida in the United States.
Florida panthers are endangered—less than 100 are believed to exist in the wild. At birth, a Florida Panther has spots and blue eyes. As they age, the spots start to fade, the cat’s fur turns tan, and the eyes turn yellow. The cat has a black-tipped tail and ears. The underbelly is white. Males can be over 7 feet long and weigh up to 159 lbs.
Florida panthers prey on hares, mice, deer, feral pigs, storks, waterfowl, and alligators. Female panthers raise their kittens in dens. The kittens will stay in the den for the first 6 weeks and then start hunting with their mother. They become independent at around 2 years of age.
Famous panthers
In The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, a panther is one of the main characters (Bagheera). The Jungle Book has also been made into a movie. Bagheera is a black panther (Indian leopard). The word means “black panther” in Hindu. Not all adaptions of The Jungle Book depict a black leopard. Sometimes, the image of an Indian leopard is used.
The Pink Panther is a film series about the escapades of a French police detective (Inspector Jacques Clouseau). There is an 
animated pink panther that appears in the opening and closing credits. “Pink Panther” refers to the first film’s fictional pink diamond, which is extremely large and valuable.
The film series also has a “Pink Panther” musical composition written by Henry Mancini. David DePatie and Friz Freleng created the cartoon character. DePaie and Freleng formed their own animation company from 1963 to 1981. Their work included The Pink Panther and the lightsaber effects in the Star Wars film series.
The Black Panther is a fictional superhero who has appeared in Marvel comic books and a recent film. His name is T’Challa, and he is the king of Wakanda (chieftain of the Wakandan Panther Clan), a fictional African country.
The character first appeared in the 1966 Fantastic Four comic book. For a short time in the 1970s, the Black Panther tried using the name Black Leopard to avoid being confused with the Black Panther Party. His abilities include enhanced strength, speed, agility, stamina, quick reflexes, acute senses, and healing.
In addition to comic books and movies, Black Panther has appeared on TV and video games.