re: Co-worker said he saw a black panther earlier today

quote:

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I was alway told Panthers, Jaguar, Leopards and Mountain Lions were the same animal, just different coats.

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You should not believe whoever told you that anymore.

Panther is a sort of generic term sometimes used to describe mountain lions aka puma or cougars as well as (more appropriately) jaguars and leopards when they exhibit melanism (black panthers). Leopards and jaguars are members of the genus Panthera as are lions and tigers. Mountain Lions are the lone member of the genus puma, though a few extinct members may have existed.

There ya go, something new for you to learn.