Black panthers are melanistic variants of leopards and jaguars, and their habitats vary depending on the species. Black leopards (black panthers) live mainly in:

• The hot, dense tropical rainforests of South and Southeast Asia, including Southwestern China, Burma, Nepal, Southern India, Indonesia, and the southern part of Malaysia

• Some sparse populations are also found in tropical Africa, such as Ethiopia, Mount Kenya, and the Aberdares, but they are less common there

• The Malay Peninsula hosts the largest population of black panthers in the world, where they are more common than spotted leopards, especially south of the Isthmus of Kra

Black jaguars (also called black panthers) are found in:

• Central and South American tropical forests

In summary, black panthers live primarily in tropical forests across South and Southeast Asia for black leopards, and in Central and South America for black jaguars. The Malay Peninsula is particularly notable for its large black leopard population