Under the cover of night, a black leopard moves with lethal elegance, the spoils of the hunt in tow. At first glance, it may look like a hare is jumping down a tree, but upon further inspection of the darkness, a black leopard reveals itself as the hare’s mode of transportation.Black panthers are not one distinct species. They are any big cat that carry the recessive gene to make them melanistic. In this case, the black panther species photographed is an African leopard. The gaze of this majestic animal will stay with me forever and I hope it helps those who see photographs of the leopard to ignite a desire to conserve this beautiful planet and the animals that call it home.