Leopard

LeopardPanthera pardus

Leopards are one of the prize sightings on a safari. Stealthy and elusive, they are also surprisingly well camouflaged. The twitch of a tail may be the only give-away to a leopard resting in the branches of a tree.
SubspeciesAfrica: P.p.adersi, P.p.adusta, P.p.leopardus , P.p.melanotica, P.p.nanopardus, P.p.panthera, P.p.pardus, P.p.reichenowi, P.p.ruwenzorli, P.p.sindica, P.p.suahelica. Middle East: P.p.ciscaucasia, P.p.dathei, P.p.jarvisi, P.p.nimr, P.p.saxicolor, P.p.tulliana;Asia: P.p.delacouri, P.p.fusca, P.p.japonensis, P.p.kotiya, P.p.melas, P.p.millardi, P.p.orientalis, Pp.pernigra.
Life spanLeopards can live for 10-15 years in the wild, although in captivity, they can live for up to 20 years.
StatisticsBody length: 95-167cm, Tail length: 60-97cm, Shoulder height: 50-75cm, Weight: 30-80kg. There can be considerable variation in size depending on location. Mountain leopards are smaller than their savannah counterparts because prey is smaller in the mountains. Particularly large individuals of over 91kg have been recorded in South Africa's Kruger National Park, where prey is larger. Generally males are 20-40 per cent larger than females.
Physical DescriptionLeopards typically are a light tan colour with a rosette-patterned coat and a long tail. They have a large skull and massive jaw muscles. Some leopards are completely black and are known as panthers. They can be born in the same litter as normally marked cats. Observations indicate that these are most generally found in dense forest areas of India and SE Asia where the dark coat offers an advantage in camouflage. Panthers are mostly found in the dense, wet forested areas of India and south east Asia.The leopard is sometimes confused in appearance with the jaguar. Leopards are less stocky and have smaller rosette markings without internal spots. The base coloration of the coat varies depending on location.
DistributionThe leopard has the most widespread distribution of all the cats and can be found in India, Africa, China, Siberia and Korea.
HabitatLeopards are generalist predators and are able to live in any habitat where there is sufficient cover and prey, including open savannah, forests, jungles, cold mountainous regions and even on the outskirts of urban areas.
DietThey have a number of prey items, including gazelles, antelopes, monkeys, jackals, duiker, eland, impala, insects, wildebeest, rodents, hyraxes, hares, peacocks, snakes, sheep and goats. Leopards can live independently of water for long periods of time, obtaining liquid from their prey.
BehaviourLeopards lead a solitary lifestyle. Males inhabit territories of 5 to 40 square km, which may overlap with the territories of several females. They are very defensive of their territory and urinate around the boundaries of their territories to warn off intruders. They are most active between sunset and sunrise. Leopards often take their kills up into the safety of tree branches, to avoid the attention of hyenas and lions. They are incredibly strong and are capable of lifting carcasses three times their own body weight, placing them on branches over 6m high. There have been several reports of leopards hauling young giraffes into trees. They will kill small competitors such as jackals and wild cats; and the cubs of lions, cheetahs and hyenas.
ReproductionFemales give birth after a gestation period of 90-105 days. Litters usually amount to between 2-4 cubs. The cubs are born blind and are weaned at three months but stay with their mother until they are 13-18 months old. 40-50 per cent of cubs do not reach adulthood. The father plays no part in the rearing of his cubs.
Threats
Hunting for their beautifully spotted fur, habitat encroachment, and hunting have taken their toll on the leoaprd, making many subspecies endangered. They are killed by farmers because they pose a threat to their livestock. They can be easily poisoned because they feed on carrion.
Conservaton statusLeopards are on CITES: Appendix I. The north Chinese leopard (P.p.japonensis), Sri Lanka leopard (P.p.kotiya), Javan leopard (P.p.melas) and north Persian leopard (P.p.saxixolor) are listed as Endangered by the IUCN. The south Arabian leopard (P.p.nimr), Amur leopard (P.p.orientalis), north African leopard (P.p.panthera) and Anatolian leopard (P.p.tulliana) are considered Critically Endangered. They are hunted for their fur and suffer from loss of natural habit due to the spread of the human population.