i saw “what kind of animal is the pink panther” thrown around as an example of a stupid question but it’s honestly… pretty deep, if you think about it?

because when we talk about a panther we usually mean a “black panther” which….. isn’t actually a species of animal at all?

it’s a dark-colored mutation of, i think, a leopard. Not a species, just a way some individuals turn out. Just like how some individuals turn out albino

and if i remember correctly it can also refer to dark mutations of other felines like jaguars etc

plus “panthera” is also a scientific name for certain groups of cats but it includes ones that we never ordinarily call “panthers” as a common name

so yeah.

what even IS the pink panther