201306 Heidelberg Zoo melanistic Jungle cat Felis chaus

Strange looking animal, didn't know there was a melanistic form of this species ! Do you know if there are more melanistic Jungle cats kept in captivity ?

Dessau in Germany should also have a black one.

Great photo! I photographed some at a private breeder in Florida (USA) many years ago, but not with a natural backdrop like that.

If their website is up to date, they still have one (plus a few non melanistic): Arnold's Exotics | Jungle Cats

Many years ago some melanistic Caracal Lynx kittens were born in a litter of other normal-coloured kittens in a South African collection.

I would be extremely interested in learning more about this. Although it is commonly reported in passing in various texts that caracals can be melanistic, no one ever sights a specific source or provides a photograph. I looked into this a couple years ago and even contacted a couple of authorities and no one could confirm melanism in caracals.

I have the photo of it somewhere with brief details on it, if I ever find it I will let you know. But you have my word that they do exist, though very rarely. The photo showed two Caracal kittens, from the same litter, one normal colour, one melantistic.