INFORMATION AND DETAILS ABOUT OUR MASCOT

Breeding
    Sexual Maturity: 2.5 years
    Mating: Non-seasonal
    Gestation: 90-105 days
    No. of Young: 1-6 cubs

Lifestyle
    Habit: Solitary, except in breeding season, when they come together to mate.
    Diet: Small Mammals and Birds.
    Lifespan: 12 years (up to 20 years in captivity.)

   The term 'Black Panther' is quite often used in connection with large black cats - however, there is no one distinct species of wild cat called a Black Panther. Over the years it has become used as a common name which can be applied to any large black coated cat. When you see a picture of a Black Panther it is most likely that you are looking at either a Leopard or possibly a Jaguar with Melanistic coloration.

   The term Melanistic is derived from the word "melanin,'' a dark colored skin and hair pigment.

   In cats, melanism results in the fur of the animal being very dark or black in color. In many cases the usual markings of the animal can be faintly seen through the dark fur, especially at certain angles in bright sunlight. Melanism occurs because of a mutation or abnormality of one of the cats genes which is associated with coat coloration and markings. Melanism is hereditary, but is not necessarily passed directly from one generation to the next - it is therefore common to see 'mixed' litters with one black cub along side normally colored brothers and sisters. Melanisim can also occur in other species of wild cat - black coated caracal, Geoffrey’s cat, margay, bobcat, ocelot, jaguarundi and serval have been noted in the smaller cats as well as occasional mention of the coloration in the larger lion, tiger and cougar.

   Melanistic leopards are more commonly found in dense tropical rain forest of S.E. Asia - here it is thought that the dark coloration acts as better camouflage in the low sun light conditions of the forest floor, giving the cat an advantage in hunting. If this is the case, it is also possible that a black leopard will also be at an advantage in being able to provide more food for its young and as a result the probability of the melanistic gene being transferred through the population will be greater.

  These are the most aggressive and feared animals in the world. Though dark in color, this leopard still has its rosettes (spots) of fur.

    They nearly always hunt at night and early morning, from the tree and the ground. Pound for pound, the leopard is the most deadly animal in the world. They are capable of killing an animal up to 1200 pounds and then dragging that animal up 30 feet into a tree, before eating its prey.

   The black leopard is referred to as the "Panther," but there is actually no animal strictly known as a black panther. There are only two black cats in the world; the black leopard from Asia, and the black jaguar from South America. 

  The word panther, derived from the Latin "Panthera," actually means cat, and is a nick name for any cat, or a black cat as well. Panthera is the family name for all big cats.                               

  With the longest tail of the cat family, the leopard is somewhat of an acrobat. They can jump as high as 18 feet straight up in the air, 30 feet in a single leap, and move at speeds over 45 miles per hour.