This Baby Jaguar is Cute and Rare (Hint: It’s Not Orange)

A sanctuary devoted to big felines located in Kent, United Kingdom, welcomed a new jaguar cub, but the addition came as surprise since the tiny female is entirely black, a rarity in the species’ history, making this birth even more special.

The Big Cat Sanctuary where the mother and her offspring live, is now running a competition to determine the new cub’s name. People are invited to submit their vote – along with a donation – to choose between Inka, Inti, or Killari. Participants run the chance to meet the special black cub as part of a VIP sanctuary tour.

A jaguar’s coat is usually orangey, just like other big cats, with dark rosettes. The condition the tiny cub has is called melanism, caused by an excess of pigment, which occurs rarely in jaguars. Consequently, an animal can appear much darker than usual. The impressive feline – the largest in the Americas – reaches an average length of 2 meters.