The Velvet Black Pan

"Behold the black velvet created by His artistic might, To please the Heavens that we may gaze in delight; The stars God arranged in perfect harmony, So look for the twinklings, yield to His symphony!" A verse from my poem entitled - "God's Symphony"

Writers often describe the black panther as dangerously savage and make it look like some wicked or evil creature of the night. Pure Myth! We did that to the Wolf too! Through our fear and ignorance, we judge, murdering and wiping out so many beautiful creatures of this planet. Animals hunt to feed themselves or their young, never for fun. It is how God created them, innocent and beautiful, hunting and assisting in the balance and cycle of the great eco-system. Animals are not created greedy or revengeful, these are human traits and it's very unfair that we create ridiculous myths for our own selfish purposes, making it reasons to justify commercial hunting and destruction.

Terrifying tales have been placed on Vultures and Sharks. Consider this - if those odd looking creatures of the sky did not swoop down to consume the remains of carcasses as well as the bones, the plains of Africa would be littered with rotting flesh everywhere. Because of its size and our previous lack of knowledge, the sharks were portrayed as mindless killers. Sharks have inhabited the oceans for more than 400 million years, surviving the dinosaurs, and may most likely be around when man is no more. Horrible tales surround the Jackal. I shall be writing about this animal soon, and you will discover how honorable and devoted they are as parents. Please read on and learn some facts about the Black Panther, magnificent cat.

Family: Felidae Scientific Name: Felis melas (black cat) Native of: India and Southeast Asia Rank: third largest in the Eastern Hemisphere Characteristics: graceful, alert and cunning Length head to body/tail: 8' 0" Weight: 75-160 pounds Strength: able to lift 150pound carcasses Breeding Rate: once per year Life Span: 20-25 years

Melanistic is derived from the word 'melanin', a dark coloured skin and hair pigment. The term 'Black Panther' is quite often used in connection with large black cats - but there is no one distinct species of wild cat called a Black Panther. The name is commonly applied to the large black coated cat. Melanism results in the fur of the animal being very dark or black. In many cases the usual markings of the animal can be faintly seen especially at certain angles in bright sunlight. The black panther's rosettes are visible only in bright light. It is the rarest of all spotted leopards. Its eyes are emerald green and its climbing ability sets it apart from other big cats. It is often larger in size than its light-colored cousin. For a panther to be black, it must receive two black-coat genes, one from its mother and one from its father. The black panther is an independent and secretive creature. It lives by itself, usually turning away when it sees another black panther. Only at mating time does it look for another of its kind. The average size of a black panther's territory is seven to ten square miles, and the cat defends its territory by fighting. They can be found in the jungle regions of India and Southeast Asia, and can also be found in hot, steaming tropical rain forests such as in Java and Malaysia. The black panther's very dark coat is a great camouflage. It also makes the cat difficult to be seen in the shadows of the tropical jungles.

These cats are great hunters and are not fussy eaters with a unique food storage system. They hunt at early dawn or at night, hidden and sleeping during the day under thick plants, shrubs or high up in a tree. It stalks its prey for it is not a runner. It prowls slowly creeping very close to its prey. Stalking may take hours but the black panther must be silent and cautious. Its padded paws are soft and quiet, while the hair on its legs absorbs noise. Its prey cannot see the black panther. Because of its quiet style and its ability to stay hidden, the black panther is known as the "ghost of the forest." It also possesses sharp eyesight with night vision, a keen sense of smell and hearing. After a kill, the black panther will eat what it wants and will hide the carcass in a tree and will return to eat it later. When it finishes eating, the cat spends hours cleaning itself with its tongue, washing away all presence of the prey's scent. In this way other animals are unable smell the black panther, and it can get close enough to another prey to catch its next meal. A meat-eater it preys on deer, monkeys, bushpigs, warthogs, birds, dogs or humans. The black panther will even eat fish, frogs, mice, lizards, beetles and fruits They are also willing to feed on other animals' leftovers or go a long time without food or water if necessary during a drought or food shortage.

These cats are great athletes and excels in high jumping and tree climbing. It can jump 25 feet and as high as 12 feet. Extremely powerful, it often attacks prey that is larger and weigh more than itself, hence the massive neck and shoulders It easily uses its powerful legs, neck and jaw muscles to carry a kill up into a tree. An endangered species, its enemies in the jungle are lions, tigers, pythons, crocodiles and packs of wild dogs and baboons. However, the animal's most dangerous enemy is the human. Spotted leopards and black panthers are hunted for sport and their coats are valuable to the fur trade.

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