Wildlife photographer’s video of leopard and black panther drinking side-by-side goes viral

Here’s a heartwarming story for the weekend. A few days ago, a wildlife photographer (@the_wildeye_captures) from the state of Karnataka, India, posted incredible footage of two leopards drinking at the backwaters of Bhadra’s Tiger Reserve.

What’s so special about Sohan Singh’s encounter is that not only is the mother and its cub drinking side-by-side but, while the former bears the species’ distinctive spots, the cub is all-black.

All-black leopards are often referred to as ‘black panthers’, with many confusing them as two different species. In actual fact, a black panther is simply a leopard (or jaguar) with melanism, causing excessive dark pigmentation leading to the beautiful all-black coat.

Melanism is a recessive trait, which means both mother and father must carry the gene for there to be the chance of a panther cub. And the parents need only carry the gene; they don’t have to be panthers themselves.

According to the World Land Trust, the Indian leopard is considered vulnerable, with an estimated 12,000 to 14,000 existing in the wild. However, black panthers are far less numerous, with Big Cats India putting numbers at around 720 to 1,540.

As such, filming a black panther is a feat – but filming a leopard and panther side-by-side is an incredible result. At one point, the panther looks right into the camera while lapping water alongside its mother.

Unsurprisingly, the video has gone viral, but Sohan’s Instagram is full of other big-cat encounters, including footage of a black panther grooming its leopard brother, as well as many videos of tigers and even tiger cubs.

It’s unclear as to what camera Sohan uses, but it’s possible it’s a Nikon, given that he tagged Nikon India in the post.

You might also like...

Interested in wildlife filmmaking? I watched The Wild Ones on Apple TV+, and if you’re a wildlife photographer then you should, too. Maybe you're interested in wildlife photography. If that's the case, here are 10 tips for wildlife photography and the best cameras for wildlife.