The leopard is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four “big cats,” the other three being the tiger, lion and jaguar. There are nine recognised subspecies of leopard. All subspecies except the African leopard can be found in Asia, South Asia, and India. The scientific name of Leopard is Panthera pardus.
Fast Facts about Leopards
1. The dark, ring-like patterns that cover the Leopard’s coat are called rosettes, but these turn to solid spots on the face and limbs (and rings on the tail) and provide the Leopard with camouflage into the surrounding environment.
2. Leopards are very strong. They are the strongest of the big cats. They are able to climb trees, even when carrying heavy prey, and often choose to rest on tree branches during the day. One reason why leopards sometimes take their prey up in the trees is to ensure lions or hyenas can’t steal them.
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3. The leopard is the most elusive and secretive of the large felids. They are extremely difficult to trace and locate in the wild.
4. Leopards are solitary, preferring to live alone.
5. Generally leopards will eat any warm-blooded prey, from mice and hares to large antelope. But a leopard is the supreme opportunist and will also eat birds, reptiles, rodents and even insects. If living close to people, it will also attack domestic animals and pets such as dogs. It also attacks humans.
6. Leopards have a distinctive call that sounds like a wood plank being cut with a saw. The sawing sound is repeated at intervals of six minutes or so during the peak calling hours which tend to occur in early evening or before dawn.
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7. Leopards are excellent climbers and spend the vast majority of the daytime hours resting in the shade of the branches in the trees or under a sheltered rock.
8. Leopards have no distinctive breeding season with females. After a gestation period that lasts for around three months, the female Leopard gives birth to between 2 and 6 cubs that are born blind and weigh just half a kilo.
9. Predators to leopards are adult chimpanzees and gorillas.
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10. The lifespan of a Leopard is between 12-17 years.