Leopard (Panthera pardus)
Characteristics:
A leopards coat varies from pale yellow to deep gold background with many black rosettes. The head, lower legs, and belly have black spots in place of rosettes. Fur under the belly is lighter colored and softer. Like the jaguar, a melanist form of the leopard exists and is also known as a black panther. The leopard is the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera weighing only 50-200 lbs.
Habitat:
Savannas and rainforests (as well as temperate forests to semi-arid deserts due to amazing adaptability) in Africa as well as eastern and southern Asia. Leopards have the largest distribution of any wild cat.
A leopards coat varies from pale yellow to deep gold background with many black rosettes. The head, lower legs, and belly have black spots in place of rosettes. Fur under the belly is lighter colored and softer. Like the jaguar, a melanist form of the leopard exists and is also known as a black panther. The leopard is the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera weighing only 50-200 lbs.
Habitat:
Savannas and rainforests (as well as temperate forests to semi-arid deserts due to amazing adaptability) in Africa as well as eastern and southern Asia. Leopards have the largest distribution of any wild cat.
Lifestyle:
Behavior:
Leopards are thought to be nocturnal, but crepuscular behavior has been observed. Strong shoulder muscles allow them to easily climb trees, even when dragging heavy prey, and they often lounge in the trees and can descend headfirst.
Diet: Leopards are opportunist hunters with a varied diet. Their diet consists mostly of ungulates, followed by primates, primarily monkeys such as the Vervet monkey. However, they will also, when opportunity presents itself, eat rodents, reptiles, amphibians, insects, birds, fish, and sometimes smaller predators such as foxes, jackals, and smaller felid species.
Hunting: Because of their amazing agility and stealth, a leopard’s hunting method is to stalk their prey, pounce, and strangle it with a quick bite. They have been observed hunting all times of the day and they often store their prey high in a tree to protect it from other animals. Most leopards avoid people, but rare cases have been seen where they prey on people. However, most attacks of leopards on people are because the leopard is old, sick, or injured.
Reproduction: Thought to mate all year round, gestation in a leopard lasts 90-105 days. Two to four cubs are in one litter but the death rate of a cub in its first year is 41%-50%. Females give birth in a den (such as a cave, hollow tree, or thicket) Cubs are blind until they are 4-9 days old. The cub’s fur tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. Around three months, the cubs begin to go with the mother to hunt and they will remain with her for 18–24 months. Their average lifespan is 12-17 years.
Predators: Leopards must compete for food with lions, tigers, hyenas, bears, and wild dogs. Sometimes they can peacefully co-exist but sometimes these predators will kill the leopard. Crocodiles, baboons, and Burmese pythons occasionally attack leopards as well.
Behavior:
Leopards are thought to be nocturnal, but crepuscular behavior has been observed. Strong shoulder muscles allow them to easily climb trees, even when dragging heavy prey, and they often lounge in the trees and can descend headfirst.
Diet: Leopards are opportunist hunters with a varied diet. Their diet consists mostly of ungulates, followed by primates, primarily monkeys such as the Vervet monkey. However, they will also, when opportunity presents itself, eat rodents, reptiles, amphibians, insects, birds, fish, and sometimes smaller predators such as foxes, jackals, and smaller felid species.
Hunting: Because of their amazing agility and stealth, a leopard’s hunting method is to stalk their prey, pounce, and strangle it with a quick bite. They have been observed hunting all times of the day and they often store their prey high in a tree to protect it from other animals. Most leopards avoid people, but rare cases have been seen where they prey on people. However, most attacks of leopards on people are because the leopard is old, sick, or injured.
Reproduction: Thought to mate all year round, gestation in a leopard lasts 90-105 days. Two to four cubs are in one litter but the death rate of a cub in its first year is 41%-50%. Females give birth in a den (such as a cave, hollow tree, or thicket) Cubs are blind until they are 4-9 days old. The cub’s fur tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. Around three months, the cubs begin to go with the mother to hunt and they will remain with her for 18–24 months. Their average lifespan is 12-17 years.
Predators: Leopards must compete for food with lions, tigers, hyenas, bears, and wild dogs. Sometimes they can peacefully co-exist but sometimes these predators will kill the leopard. Crocodiles, baboons, and Burmese pythons occasionally attack leopards as well.
Natural Habitat of Leopard
Subspecies:
The nine subspecies recognized are:
African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) inhabits sub-Saharan Africa
Indian leopard (P. p. fusca) inhabits the Indian Subcontinent
Javan leopard (P. p. melas) inhabits Java, Indonesia
Arabian leopard (P. p. nimr) inhabits the Arabian Peninsula
Amur leopard (P. p. orientalis) inhabits the Russian Far East, Korean Peninsula and Northeast China
North Chinese leopard (P. p. japonensis) inhabits northern China
Persian leopard (P. p. saxicolor) initially described as Caucasian leopard (P. p. ciscaucasica) inhabits the Caucasus, Turkmenistan and northern Iran.
Indochinese leopard (P. p. delacouri) inhabits mainland Southeast Asia
Sri Lankan leopard (P. p. kotiya) inhabits Sri Lanka
The nine subspecies recognized are:
African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) inhabits sub-Saharan Africa
Indian leopard (P. p. fusca) inhabits the Indian Subcontinent
Javan leopard (P. p. melas) inhabits Java, Indonesia
Arabian leopard (P. p. nimr) inhabits the Arabian Peninsula
Amur leopard (P. p. orientalis) inhabits the Russian Far East, Korean Peninsula and Northeast China
North Chinese leopard (P. p. japonensis) inhabits northern China
Persian leopard (P. p. saxicolor) initially described as Caucasian leopard (P. p. ciscaucasica) inhabits the Caucasus, Turkmenistan and northern Iran.
Indochinese leopard (P. p. delacouri) inhabits mainland Southeast Asia
Sri Lankan leopard (P. p. kotiya) inhabits Sri Lanka
Pumapard
Hybrid:
A notable hybrid of the leopard is the pumapard. It is a cross between a leopard and a puma. They somehow inherit dwarfism and are only half the size of the parents. They have a long body like the puma but short legs. Their coat is sandy or grayish with faded rosettes. There have also been crosses with lions, jaguars, and tigers
Conservation Status:
The IUCN Red List classifies the leopard as near threatened. There are around 10,000 leopards in the wild. Their main threat is habitat loss and hunting by humans.
A notable hybrid of the leopard is the pumapard. It is a cross between a leopard and a puma. They somehow inherit dwarfism and are only half the size of the parents. They have a long body like the puma but short legs. Their coat is sandy or grayish with faded rosettes. There have also been crosses with lions, jaguars, and tigers
Conservation Status:
The IUCN Red List classifies the leopard as near threatened. There are around 10,000 leopards in the wild. Their main threat is habitat loss and hunting by humans.
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