For years, decades, the animal has been talked about and debated whether there will ever be another specimen of a black leopard on the African continent, better known as the "black panther", or whether it will forever remain in that only photograph taken in 1909.
Since then, despite the efforts of scientists, no evidence has been recorded that there is at least one other specimen of this rare species in Africa.
Until the San Diego Zoo officially confirmed how Will Burrard-Lucas managed to film the “black panther” on a leisurely night walk through the Kenyan wilderness. He posted impressive photos of the wild cat on his twitter profile ...
The last time this super-rare species was recorded was exactly 110 years ago, in 1909 in Ethiopia.
- We've been waiting for her for months. We set up several cameras in the Laikipia area as early as last year, after we received several reports that a black leopard had been seen in the area. It took a few months but we succeeded! We filmed it, as far as scientists know, for the first time in more than a hundred years - says Nick Pilfold from the San Diego Zoo.
This female panther, photographed by Burrard-Lucas in Kenya, is almost completely black, with a few bright spots not seen in these photos. Scientists say that this is the result of a rare mutation in a gene called melanism, or excessive production of pigment in a female's body.
Simply put, scientists say, it is the complete opposite of albinism, when the body cannot naturally or inherit the pigment melanin.
Melanism does not only occur in cats, it is also found in snakes and birds and turtles.
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