Scientists Announce the Discovery of a Pink Leopard in South Africa’s Madikwe Reserve
African leopards typically have a tawny coat adorned with black spots. However, numerous visitors have reported sightings of a pink leopard while touring the Madikwe reserve. They have affectionately dubbed it the “strawberry leopard.” Recently, a guide from the reserve captured images of the leopard and sent them to Panthera, a wildlife conservation organization focused on big cats in the U.S., to inquire about the animal’s unusual coat color, as reported by National Geographic.
The pink leopard in
Madikwe Reserve, South Africa. (Photo: National Geographic)
Luke Hunter, president of Panthera, believes that the leopard’s pink coat is the result of a genetic mutation that leads to an overproduction of red pigment or an underproduction of dark pigment.
“This is a very rare syndrome. I have not encountered any other cases in leopards,” Hunter stated.
The leopard appears to be healthy and shows no fear of vehicles within the reserve. Despite its pink fur, it is still capable of camouflaging and hiding to hunt. Since African leopards typically stalk their prey at relatively close distances (approximately 4 meters), the color of their fur is not overly significant to their hunting abilities.
Instances of coat color changes are rare among carnivores; however, scientists have previously documented unusual fur colors in North American raccoons, European badgers, and North American coyotes.
