I captured this image of a very rare melanistic (all-black) leopard in central Kenya in April of 2024. “Giza” is one of only 3-4 all-black leopards in all of Africa. Because of her black coat she is primarily nocturnal. She rarely is seen during the day because her coat is too hot in the sun, and provides no camouflage for hunting prey or protecting her from predators such as lions and hyenas. However, it makes her virtually invisible at night and she is a prolific hunter.