Which animals are black? The phenomenon of melanism

In the animal world, a dark color is not so rare. Such color helps in some conditions to gain advantages in the ability to hide and hunt, in every possible way to fight for their place under the sun. But there are not so many really black animals. Especially among mammals. About what animals are black (both wild and domestic), read in our article.

Horses

To domesticated, tamed people in ancient times, animals are primarily horses. What color are horses (or rather, what suits)? The most different: light gray (white), red, solo (red body, and white - mane and tail), brown (black-brown), bay (red-brown), piebald (with the basic color - white spots) , Kauroy. And these are just basic. But the black horse is black completely. So to the question: "Which animal is black in color?", It is possible to say with certainty: "The horse is a black horse".

Cats

To cats of black color are treated with caution, cursing them and often blaming all mortal sins. But we, rejecting prejudices and superstitions, can state the fact that this color is found in the color of domestic pets quite often (in some breeds - up to 50%). Which animals are black? Domestic cats. Although some breeders also avoid breeding black animals, they tend to have higher results in competitions than non-melanists. For example, black Maine coons have more pronounced signs of the breed: high set ears and a longer muzzle. And the Persian Melanists have the flattest "faces" and the smallest low-set ears. So, answering the question "what animals are black in color" among pets, we can say with certainty: "Cats of different breeds."

The phenomenon of melanism

Which animals are black? In fact, melanism occurs under normal conditions in many animals, not only in mammals. Insects, fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles. All of them are prone to genetic abnormalities in color. Often melanists are called "albinos on the contrary." In representatives of warm-blooded foxes, squirrels, felines, wolves, wild and domestic dogs. In many animals this is one of the ways of survival, and for a black jaguar, for example - an advantage during the evening and morning (at dusk) hunting.

Black jaguar. Description of the animal

A fairly large beast of the cat family, whose skin as a result of manifestation of melanism (the genetic variant of coloration) is black. This animal is a subfamily of large cats - the only representative of the genus Panther in the New World (South and North America). Distribution area - from Mexico to Paraguay. The length of his body (without taking into account the tail part) reaches almost two meters, the mass can be up to one hundred kilograms. Height at the withers is up to 70 centimeters. In appearance, the predator is very similar to its other relative - a leopard, only large in size.

Dwells mainly in tropical and mountain forests, but sometimes occurs on the ocean coast. It is a predator hunting in the twilight. The most active hours: after sunset and before dawn, when the jaguar searches for its prey. These can be capybaras, bakers, tapirs. But the predator does not disdain and birds, rodents, snakes. He hunts on various turtles (the jaguar is able to even bite through their hard shells with powerful jaws), and also digs up turtle eggs and enjoys them with pleasure. Jaguar swims well and can overtake its prey and in the water. Sometimes its catch is small dormant alligators or fish.

The method of hunting is the organization of an ambush (in the grass, on trails, near water bodies). Jaguar on top jumps on the prey and seeks to knock her down, breaking the cervical vertebrae and biting the skull sometimes. Experienced hunters (for example, in Brazil) attribute the jaguar the ability of hypnosis to their victims.

In jaguars living in dense forests, the phenomenon of melanism (up to 50% of animals) is quite common, since in conditions of insufficient illumination, animals of dark color are practically invisible, which facilitates hunting and survival conditions for them. So, the question "What kind of animal is black?" Can be said with certainty: a black panther. By the way, the wool of a black jaguar (panther) is unevenly colored in this color corresponding to the name. More or less visible spots that appear on the skin.