Safari Ltd Black PantherSafari Ltd Black Panther So called black panthers are actually a melanistic color variant of the leopard. It is caused by an over abundance of the pigment melanin, cause the animal s fur to be dark. It also occurs in the jaguar, which is also sometimes referred to as a black panther , though it is less common. Though they appear all black from a distance, these big cats still have their familiar spotted pattern when viewed up close. Safari Ltd Model