Black Panther - great close-up photo The Black Panther is an interesting animal. It's a genetic combination that is fairly rare. Let's begin with a leopard. The panther has a "recessive allele" of a leopard. Panther is essentially a leopard...just a different color. If you look closely, you can even see spots on the panther. But, that's not all. The panther also has a genetic connection to the jaguar. Instead of a "recessive" it has a "dominant ellele." So, analyze this. The Black Panther has the leopard's body and the Jaguar's black color. If you have a scientist in your family, or a future scientist, this would be a fun photo for their wall.  Yes, Florida and Louisiana have panthers....but not the black panther in this photo.