Close-up of a jaguar face with intense eyes and striking fur pattern

The orange and black pattern seen in our male jaguar, Mateo, is the recessive trait for jaguars. However, it is more commonly seen in the wild. This recessive pattern is beneficial in the wild allowing better camouflage. Our female jaguar, Onyx, appears all black due to a genetic trait, called melanism, which is more commonly seen in human care due to it being the dominant color. | Panther Ridge Conservation Center