British wildlife photographer George Turner obtained a beautiful shot of an exceptionally unusual serval that was totally coated in black fur while shooting from the Asilia Namiri Plains Camp in Tanzania. The serval was given the name “Manja,” according to Turner’s book.
It is said that if you come into contact with a black cat, it will bring you bad luck. Seeing a black wild cat, on the other hand, was a stroke of luck for this wildlife photographer. British photographer George Turner experienced a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence while photographing from the Asilia Namiri Plains Camp in Tanzania. A magnificent shot of a very uncommon black serval was obtained by him.
The serval is an African wild cat with a reputation for secrecy. The lonely feline, which may weigh up to 40 pounds, is distinguished by its golden-yellow coat with black spots and stripes. As a result, seeing a fully black serval is quite rare. Melanism is most likely the cause of the lovely cat’s beauty. Unlike albinism, which is caused by a lack of skin pigmentation, melanism is caused by the skin’s dark pigmentation.
Melanism in servals is typically seen in East Africa, particularly in highland areas over 2000 meters, which makes this occurrence all the more remarkable. The Namiri Plains, at roughly 1000m, are much “lower” than the typical height, where melanism is more widespread. This serval most likely came from the adjacent – and much higher – Ngorongoro Crater and set up shop in a new region. “I can’t begin to express how mind-blowing this was… and continues to be,” the happy photographer remarked. “To put things in perspective, even seeing a ‘typical’ serval is difficult. They’re shy, secretive cats who prefer to dwell in tall grasses, which is the ideal mix for hiding things. My heart skips a beat every time I’ve had the opportunity to see them.”
Despite its incredibly unusual occurrence, Sergio Pitamitz, a photographer in Kenya, observed another black serval two years ago. “When it comes to wildlife photography, you’re always on the lookout for anything unique and unusual. “It was spectacular,” the photographer stated at the time.
