A rare African black leopard has been spotted in Laikipia County. This is the first time to have been photographed in Africa for over a century after it’s last confirmed observation was made in Ethiopia in 1909.
The black leopard, known as a black panther in Africa and Asia, is a secretive and elusive creature, one in which wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas dreamed of capturing in high-quality photographs.
Most recorded sightings of black leopards or melanistic leopards are from the forests of Asia. But in Africa, where Burrard-Lucas’s quest took him, these black-coated leopards are said to be extremely rare.
We had always heard about black leopard living in this region, but the stories were absent of high-quality footage that could confirm their existence,” said Nicholas Pilford, scientist at San Diego Zoo Global and lead researcher for a leopard conservation program in Laikipia County. “This is what Will’s photos and the videos on our remote cameras now prove, and are exceptionally rare in their detail and insight.
“Collectively these are the first confirmed images in nearly 100 years of black leopard in Africa, and this region is the only known spot in all of Africa to have black leopard.”
