As theatergoers around the world marvel at the new superhero movie Black Panther, we here at National Geographic wanted to share some facts about these real-life fascinating felines.

First things first: A "black panther" is not its own species—it's an umbrella term that refers to any big cat with a black coat. (Learn more about National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative.)

The condition is caused by the agouti gene, which regulates the distribution of black pigment within the hair shaft, according to the University of California, Davis. It's most well known in leopards, which live in Asia and Africa, and jaguars, inhabitants of South America. (Domestic cat lovers might be interested to know the agouti gene doesn't