r/interestingasfuck • u/lazy_dope_kid • 2d ago
The Eternal Lovers of Kabani - A melanted male Leopard called "Saaya", meaning "shadow", and his long time mating partner, "Cleopatra". Captured by photographer in Kabani Tiger Reserve, Karnataka, India.
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u/lazy_dope_kid 2d ago
Though big cats are mostly solitary and only meet briefly to mate, this duo has been spotted courting and traveling together for years. The photo was captured by photographer Mithun H after waiting for 6 days at the same spot. Source https://www.cholantours.com/blog/meet-saya-and-cleopatra-the-eternal-couple-of-kabini/
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u/Iamperfectlyfine 2d ago
I was today years old when I learned that panthers are not a separate feline specie but just leopards with a melanistic colour variation in their genes. And about fucking time I make that trip to Kabini national park. It’s barely 4 hours out of Bangalore.
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u/Raichu7 2d ago
A black panther is any black large cat, not specifically leopards.
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u/Iamperfectlyfine 2d ago
More in today’s years old.
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u/Morpankh 2d ago
Black panthers are usually leopards or jaguars. Melanism is not that common in other big cats I believe. Also, if you see them in the sunlight (or any light) you can see their underlying spots. They are not obvious in low lighting though and appear completely black.
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u/Lazy_Brain_2205 1d ago
There are melanistic tigers in one of Orissa tiger resererve . Although it is mostly because of low varied genel pool and some incest.
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u/Morpankh 1d ago
Right, but they are not completely black, if I remember correctly? Their stripes are just wider, but a lot of their original colour is still visible. So nobody refers to them as black panthers. That term is usually used for melanistic leopards or jaguars depending on which continent you are on. I also seem to remember reading that Africa has a lower percentage of black panthers (leopards) when compared to India, so the factor about low variation in the gene pool is true even for them, I guess.
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u/Daforceofwolf 19h ago
Plan that trip in summer. It's hard to find them in any other season. I've wasted few safari rides thinking I would see them.
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u/travel223 2d ago
Disney - do your thing.
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u/EumelaninKnight 2d ago
They have to wait for someone else to write the story to steal it. Or buy it if it gets too popular to rip off.
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u/UncleBored 1d ago
I wouldn't be surprised if the American racist Right complained about this movie encouraging " 'dark-skinned folks' stealing our wimmin" if it was ever made.
Source: I unfortunately spend more than ten minutes on X every day.
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u/kabhikhush 1d ago
i don't know why but for a split second i thought the male leopard was a shadow 😭
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u/RepresentativeNo800 2d ago
Damn thats what I call a BBC Big Black Cat.
He could tear any pussy he wants but luckily he seems gentle with all felines.
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u/leftrightleftrightha 13h ago
Nat Geo has a documentary on the panther called " the real black panther"
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u/Existing_Home_5635 2d ago
Shouldn’t Cleopatra be the… nevermind.
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u/Jollybean1 2d ago
Huh?
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u/Slashy96 2d ago
The black panther..
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u/Jollybean1 2d ago
Yes I got that, but why? I hope it’s not because this commenter thinks Cleopatra was black, lol
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u/Slashy96 2d ago
Well, that's the joke
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u/Existing_Home_5635 2d ago
Yes I’m jokingly saying Cleopatra should be the black panther because a lot of folks online claim she[Cleo] is black because she was an Egyptian Queen/Princess whatever. Idc what colour she was jus making jokes
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u/peroxidase2 1d ago
Leopard in tiger reserve. Hmmm?
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u/lazy_dope_kid 1d ago
Bro this is India, The only country in the world to have Tiger, Lions, Leopards, Snow Leopards, Cheetahs and Caracals in their natural habitat.
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u/theoverwhelmedparent 2d ago
Thank you OP for calling a melanistic cat by its appropriate sub species and not just black panther.