Amazing Wild Animals: Leopard

The leopard is a quiet ninja like cat. They have a yellowish fur and a dark rosette pattern on their coat. They have a long tail which helps them balance. They have a muscular body and long whiskers. They have the biggest range of any big cat, they we found in sub Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.

Leopards are solitary cats and nocturnal. Their rosette markings on their coat act as camoflage. Their long whiskers, which are sensitive, and their good hearing make them great night time hunters. They will eat large animals such as antelopes and warthogs. They will also prey on smaller animals such as birds, reptiles, and rodents. Leopards are excellent climbers and will sometimes drag their prey high in the tree for safe keeping.

Leopards can live for 10 to 15 years. Mother leopards give birth to 2 to 6 cubs. The cubs stay with their mother for 18 months. Leopards do not have a high mortality rate during their first year. That is due to large predators finding the young while the mother is away.

A leopard's natural predators are lions, tigers, bears, hyena, big snakes, and other leopards. The sad thing is leopards are declining in population becuase of habitat loss. They are also hunted by humans for their coats and for sport. Like all big cats, leopards do not deserve to be killed for sport, and unfortunately it is legal to hunt them for trophies. Leopards are near threatened but since it has a large range most places it is stable.