The panther is a melanistic leopard or jaguar. They are not a separate species of these great cats and are born in the same litters as their spotted siblings are. Panthers are the smallest of the big cats. They are more ferocious than tigers, the largest of the great felines, and lions.
Panther the Animal
Panthers will eat almost anything. They are skilled hunters, stalking silently and pouncing on prey at the last minute. The animal is solitary and nocturnal. They, primarily, live in trees and will rarely fight for their food when lions or hyenas approach after the kill. While they are predators, they are also prey for hyenas and lions. Panthers are the most adaptable of the great cats and have the reputation of being secretive. For these felines, being furtive is survival.
There are black panthers that are considered cryptoids, phantom animals, because there have been many sightings of them outside of their native habitats. These animals left paw prints and killed livestock.
Pagan Symbolism of Panther
- Panther is symbolic of power, aggression, guardianship, courage and valor. In Central and South America, Panther is associated with the sun. In other cultures, she is associated with the dark or new moon or the dark of the moon which is three days before the new one. Her power is that of the night and of winter.
- Panther represents a deep understanding of spiritual things, psychic and artistic. She has the greatest mysticism and encourages people to understand powers available to them, to acknowledge them and to rid them of fears of the shadow and darkness.
- She represents releasing passions and started a new period of life. Those with Panther as their power animal are intuitive and have an artistic inclination. Panther is symbolic of ability to know the dark, cunning, perseverance, oldness, beauty, swiftness and gaining confidence.
- To the ancient Greeks, Panther represented an awakening to heroic quest.
- The Native Americans in Latin America believed Panther was given great power, magic and mastery over all dimensions. The Tucano tribe believed the panther roar was the bellow of thunder and she could bring about eclipses by swallowing the sun.
- The Arawaks believed nothing existed without Panther. She is the link to all that lives and all of life’s manifestations.
Christian Panther Symbolism
The Abdodazara, a contemporary Jewish comment on the scriptures, Panther is associated with Jesus. According to this text, He healed in the name of Jesus ben Panther. Ancient Christian symbolists regarded Panther, Elephant and Unicorn as the three animals representing chastity.
Articles Related to Black Panther Symbolism
People who enjoyed this article might like Crow: Mysterious Pagan Symbol, Raven, Enigmatic Pagan Symbol. Eerie Black Panther: Ohio Horror and Beast of Exmoor, Mystery Cat.
Sources:
Andrews, Ted, Animal Speak (Llewellyn Publications, 2002)
Conway, D. J., Animal Magick (Llewellyn Publications, 1996)
