Between myth and reality, between rumors and tales around the campfire, few can say they have seen it and many fewer have photographed it, but the black leopard in Kenya really exists.

A unique animal of extraordinary beauty, if it blends into the shadows during the day, it disappears into the dark like a ghost at night.
Only its incredibly bright eyes glow like light bulbs when momentarily illuminated by flashlight.

It is not an animal of a different species, as so many mistakenly believe, but is a leopard like any other, simply subject to a genetically inherited condition of melanism, which causes excess pigmentation of the fur tending to black.
In fact, if you look closely at it (and in the gallery images below you can clearly see it) you can see the characteristic "rosettes" that well distinguish the classic leopard's fur, but which are obviously confused in the brown, almost black coloration of "melanic" fur.
The melanic leopard in this case is traditionally called the "black panther."

It is an obviously extremely rare animal in the wild, of which estimated specimens in Kenya can be counted on the fingers of one hand, scattered in remote regions that are mostly difficult to access.
This obviously ignites the imagination of most nature enthusiasts, not to mention feline enthusiasts and wildlife photographers.

Honestly, such an encounter was on my wish list ever since I was a child watching the cartoon "The Jungle Book," and I finally managed to achieve it together with Magali, my lifelong companion and of endless African adventures.

The black leopard protagonist of our story is a young female of just over two years of age, who moves mostly at night taking advantage of her virtual invisibility to prey on the numerous dikdik that populate almost every bush in her wild territory.

We met her in the Laikipia Plateau area, either at night or at first light or just before sunset, while patrolling and marking the boundaries of her property, and we shared with this incredible feline some of the most exciting moments of our life so far in Africa.

The mother of this black leopard, who lives in a territory not far away, recently gave birth to two cubs including one of normal coloration, and one as black as coal, thus continuing to pass on this rare genetic imprint.

All that remains now, therefore, is to wait and see what color the cubs will be, which sooner or later will hopefully also give birth to the formidable panther we have had the good fortune, and the rare privilege of meeting.

Paul Torchio
Photographer and professional safari guide.
KWS Honorary Warden