One possibility is that the genetic mutation arose on its own as the result of inbreeding among the leopard population.
In South Africa, many male leopards were killed due to trophy hunting, causing young males to stay closer to their families. This could increase the chances of inbreeding and lead to higher numbers of strawberry leopards.
Another possibility is that strawberry leopards in northern Africa spread the phenotype into the Tanzanian population. However, the significant distance between the two populations makes it unlikely.
The study was published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.
