Image by Syed Ali, Unsplash
Introduction of Leopards
Leopard is a large cat related to tigers and lions.
Leopard subspecies are African Leopard, Indian Leopard, Arabian Leopard, Amur Leopard, Javan Leopard, Indochinese Leopard, Sri Lankan Leopard.
In the 17th century, leopards were found in entire Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, South and Southeast Asia. But now they have lost 75% of their range.
Now leopards are generally found in Central and South Africa, Central Asia, India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia.
India is the home of an estimated 14000 to 20000 leopards.
In the IUCN list, leopards are categorised under the Vulnerable list.
In India, leopards are found close to human settlements. For nursing, they avoid the jungle and prefer tea gardens, cultivation fields, and plantation areas. These are the areas where human-leopard conflicts are maximum.
However, in many places in India, they live peacefully close to human settlements.
Scientific Name of Leopards
Panthera pardus
Physical Description of Leopards
Leopard size and appearance vary significantly depending on the region.
Its looks similar to the Jaguars but smaller in size. Melanistic (black) leopards are called Black Panther.
Every leopard has distinctive spots called rosettes.
Male leopards are larger. It can weigh up to 90 kg, whereas female leopards weigh 60 kg on average. Leopards are, in general, 6 to 8 ft in length.
Life Cycle of Leopards
The typical lifespan of a leopard in the wild is 12 to 15 years.
With average gestation of 105 days, they give birth to 2 to 4 cubs.
Unfortunately, the mortality rate is very high; almost 50% of cubs die before their first year.
Characteristics of Leopards
Leopards are solitary animals. Especially males are highly territorial.
The territory range depends on the availability of prey. The male territory covers 3 to 4 female territories.
Male leopards never shared their territory with other males, but females sometimes crossed other female areas for nursing.
Leopards can cover 25 km to hunt or protect their range in a single night.
Leopard can run up to 55 km/hrs speed.
In Africa, leopards have multiple natural enemies like lions, hyenas, wild dogs etc. So often, their kill gets robbed by lions or hyenas.
In India, the tiger is their natural enemy.
Leopards are good climbers and spend most of their time in tree branches. To protect their food, they even pull their kills to the treetop.
Leopards have powerful jaws. They can pull kills equal to their weight.
Diet of Leopards
Leopards are carnivorous.
Leopards are nocturnal, and they are generally active after dark.
Leopards are an expert stalkers and perhaps the best among big cats.
Leopard eats 4 to 5 kg of meat in a single meal. They eat very fast to grab as much as possible before being challenged by other predators.
Leopards have a wide range of food options. Impala, and deer, are on top of their food list.
In the African savanna, leopards avoid confrontation with hyenas and lions. It's mainly to prevent injuries. However, there are examples of killing mandrills and baboons.
