Camera trap films first black jaguar mating with spotted male in Brazil
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A camera trap in Brazil's Serra do Pardo National Park recorded a black-coated female jaguar courting and mating twice with a spotted male on 6 September 2023. The six-minute sequence, published in Ecology and Evolution in August 2025, is the first video of a melanistic jaguar mating in the wild. Researchers note the female appeared to have swollen nipples, suggesting she may have been lactating.
Key Facts
- The footage was recorded on 6 September 2023 along the Xingu River in Serra do Pardo National Park, Brazil.
- The sequence shows nine of the twelve behavioural phases researchers recognise in jaguar mating, including copulation twice.
- The observation was published in Ecology and Evolution in August 2025 by a team led by Thomas Luypaert of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
- The female appeared to have swollen nipples, consistent with recent lactation, raising the possibility of a 'hide-and-flirt' mating strategy.
- Melanism in jaguars results from a recessive gene and may occur in up to one in ten individuals in parts of the Amazon.
The Footage
The camera trap was set for biodiversity surveys, not courtship, and captured the encounter over six minutes. The clip records nine of the twelve behavioural phases researchers recognise in jaguar mating, including courtship circling, mounting, vocalisations, the female rolling, and copulation twice. The male also appeared to attempt a nape-bite, though the paper notes this action could not be conclusively confirmed from the footage. Carlos Peres of the University of East Anglia, a senior author, said the team 'hit the proverbial jackpot' with the first video trap footage of a black jaguar mating with a spotted male in the wild.
Lactation Clue
The female appeared to have swollen nipples, consistent with recent lactation, a detail prominent enough to be included in the paper. Researchers cautiously raise the possibility of a 'hide-and-flirt' mating strategy, where a female already caring for young re-engages in mating behaviour when opportunities are scarce. They flag this as speculation drawn from a single observation, noting that confirmation would require evidence of an actual litter nearby, which the camera trap did not capture.
Melanism in Jaguars
Melanism in jaguars comes from a recessive gene affecting pigment production, not a separate subspecies or population. Estimates of its frequency vary sharply by region, from rare in some parts of the jaguar's range to closer to one in ten individuals in parts of the Amazon. Black jaguars remain difficult to study because standard camera-trap identification relies on reading unique spot patterns, which are far harder to discern against dark fur.
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Camera trap films first black jaguar mating with spotted male in Brazil
