A rare black panther has been photographed in Kenya, in what is reportedly the first time an image of the creature has been captured without the use of a camera trap.
“Getting the opportunity to track and photograph a black leopard at close range alone in the wilds of Laikipia, was both an incredible thrill and an extraordinary privilege,” photographer Chris Brunskill told the New York Post.
Only about 11 per cent of about 250,000 leopards alive today have this colouration, according to research website ScienceDirect.
Black panthers - otherwise known as melanistic leopards or jaguars - have differently coloured coats than regular leopard variants due to a rare condition known as melanism, a genetic mutation in animals that increases the production of melanin, a dark brown pigment, causing darker skin, fur, feathers or scales.
Most melanistic big cats are found in Southeast Asia, where tropical forests offer an abundance of shade. In Africa, black panthers are so rare that a photographer’s snap of one in 2019 was reportedly the first for 100 years.
Giza, as Mr Brunskill’s prized subject was christened by local trackers, was born to a normal spotted leopard in a litter of two cubs. The two-year-old panther was first seen around the Ewaso Narok river about 18 months ago, reported The Daily Mail.
Together with a team of local trackers, Mr Brunskill observed Giza over many nights, documenting and building up an understanding of her movements and hunting patterns.
Mr Brunskill’s team was able to use a spotlight to track her movements, watching on several occasions as she crossed the river at sunset to hunt around the Laikipia Wilderness Camp before she returned triumphantly carrying her prey.
Over the last year, Giza has become more accustomed to people, and now tolerates vehicles around her.
Commenters on Mr Brunskill’s Instagram posts featuring Giza continually marvel at her beauty, with some appreciating how surreal the shots seem.
“I know it is real... but it doesn’t look real! Looks like a movie set!” said a commenter.
