A panther is a large, powerful wild cat. The word actually refers to different big cats in different places. In North America, panther usually means a cougar or mountain lion, those tawny-colored cats that live in mountains and forests. In Asia and Africa, it often means a leopard, especially a black leopard with dark fur that looks almost invisible in shadows.

The famous “black panther” isn't actually a separate species. It's a leopard or jaguar born with extra dark pigment that makes its fur appear completely black, though you can still see faint spots in bright sunlight. These melanistic cats (that's the scientific term for the dark coloring) look mysterious and striking, which is why they appear so often in stories and movies.

Panthers are skilled hunters who can climb trees, swim, and leap incredible distances. A leopard can drag prey twice its own weight up into a tree to keep it safe from other predators. Panthers hunt alone and move so quietly through forests that other animals may not notice them until it's too late.

The Florida panther is a special type of cougar that lives in the swamps and forests of southern Florida. It's one of the most endangered mammals in America, with only about 200 left in the wild.