Recently, a mini bundle of joy was delivered in the Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, UK, its resident jaguar Keira gave birth to a cub. The little cub, however, came with a huge surprise, being totally black.
Features Jaguar Possess
While all-black jaguars aren't unheard of, they are uncommon, making the birth of this cub - which is a blessing to the species as a whole - all the more special. Jaguars surely put the big into big cats, being the largest in the U.S. at an average length of about 2 meters (6 feet).
They are well-known for their massive murder mittens (also known as paws) and large heads complete with strong jaws. While we might not do so well against these impressive predators in hand-to-hand fight, their great size does come in handy when you just want to pass some time singing gently over an adorable cub that's made more smaller by her mum's gigantic size.
Generally, their coats have the same orangey color found in other big cats, only marked with different dark rosettes. At times, however, nature comes up with a distinctive design when cubs are born with a condition called melanism.
Also Read: Jaguar Caught On Camera In Arizona Mountains [VIDEO]
Black Panthers
Noticed in all corners of the animal kingdom, melanism is a condition that brings about an excess of pigment, making animals look much darker than normal.
Just a few jaguars are born with melanism, producing jet-black babies like this one quite the rarity. Big cats born with melanism are usually referred to as black panthers, though they are jaguars or leopards typically, depending on the part of the world you are.
Born on the 6th of April, the little cub is reported to be in good health and as playful as she is bubbly, already having been recorded doing her best hissing attempts in spite of being so incredibly small.
Naming of the Cub
The cub hasn't been named yet, the Big Cat Sanctuary is carrying out a competition to pick between the names Inti, Inka, or Killari with votes (turned in with a donation) entering you in for an opportunity to meet the cub in person as part of a VIP sanctuary tour.
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a large felid species and the only member of the genus Panthera native to the Americas still living. With a body length of up to 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in), it is the largest cat species in the U.S. and the third-largest in the whole world.
Its powerful bite permits it to pierce the carapaces of tortoises and turtles, and to employ an uncommon killing method: it bites straight through the skull of mammalian prey between the ears to insert a deadly blow to the brain.
Related Article: Born to Perform: Conserving the Jaguar in the Amazon
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