The
leopard (Panthera pardus) is a member of the cat family (Felidae). The
leopard's coat has a background color of pale, cream-yellow on its underside
that darkens slightly to an orange-brown on its back. Solid black spots
adorn its limbs and head, smaller and denser than the golden, umber-centered
rosettes that cover its back and sides. The leopard's tale has irregular
patches that, at the tip of the tale, become dark-ringed bands.
Zoological name: Panthera pardus
Species: Panthera pardus is a member of the pantherine lineage,
which also includes P. leo (lion), P. tigris (tiger), P. onca (jaguar),
Neofelis nebulosa (clouded leopard), and Uncia uncia (snow leopard). Fossils
of their most recent common ancestor have yet to be identified, but
mitochondrial gene sequence data suggest that species divergence began 6
million years ago. Phylogenetic analyses of the subspecies of P. pardus
indicate an African origin, which corroborates the paleontological evidence.
The earliest record of P. pardus is from Laetoli, Tanzania, with a date of
roughly 3.8 million years before present. By 900,000 years ago, P. pardus
reached Eurasia.
Presence on the planet: Pantera pardus could at one time be found
from British Isles to Japan and throughout most of Asia. Today they can
still be found in Africa, except for the true deserts of Sahara and
Kalahari, and some parts of Asia such as Sri Lanka. Leopards are more common
in Eastern and Central Africa. Conversely, they are rare in Western and
Northern Africa and most of Asia.
Habitat: Leopards live in highly variable habitats. They feel just
as secure in swampy tropical forests as in rugged mountains. They live in
lowland forests, mountains, grasslands, brush country, and deserts. A corpse
of a leopard was once found at an elevation of 5,630 meters on Kilimanjaro,
and not frozen into the ice as some people had suggested.
Physical appearance: The leopard's coat has a background color of
pale, cream-yellow on its underside that darkens slightly to an orange-brown
on its back. Solid black spots adorn its limbs and head, smaller and denser
than the golden, umber-centered rosettes that cover its back and sides. The
leopard's tale has irregular patches that, at the tip of the tale, become
dark-ringed bands.
Diet: Leopards are opportunistic hunters. They will eat just about
anything. Their diet consists of monkeys, rodents, reptiles, amphibians,
birds, fish, wild pigs, and ungulates. It stalks its prey silently and at
the last minute pounces on its prey and cuts its throat with a quick bite.
It hunts during the day to avoid contact with lions and hyenas, who hunt
mainly at night. When it kills animals such as gazelle, it carries them up
into the trees to eat it. Leopards are capable of carrying animals up to
twice their own weight into the trees.
Reproduction & Offspring: Depending on the region, leopards may
mate all year round (India and Africa) or seasonally during January to
February (Manchuria and Siberia). The estrous cycle lasts about 46 days and
the female usually isin heat for 6-7 days. Cubs are usually born in a litter
of 2-3, but infant mortality is high and mothers are not commonly seen with
more than 1-2 cubs. The pregnant females find a cave, crevice among
boulders, hollow tree, or thicket to give birth and make a den. Cubs open
their eyes after a period of 10 days. The fur of the young tends to be
longer and thicker than that of adults. Their pelage is also more gray in
color with less defined spots. Around 3 months the infants begin to follow
the mother out on hunts. At one year of age leopard young can probably fend
for themselves but they remain with the mother for 18-24 months.
Conservation status: 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.
The status of P. pardus ranges from endangered to critically endangered to
threatened depending on the geographic region. Even though these cats are
highly adaptable, they still face many problems. These include habitat
destruction, being hunted as trophies and for their fur, and persecution as
killers. Illegal hunting of leopards for their fur became so common in the
1960s that as many as 50,000 skins were marked annually.
IUCN Lists as Critically Endangered
Life Span: 12-17 years
The royal coat colour!!
They have a very short and sleek coat. Their color varies from light tawny
to deep rusty yellow, with a lighter underside. They have dark spots on
their face, head, throat, chest, and legs. The rest of their body is covered
in "rosettes". Leopards can also be totally black. Leopards can
also be all black, a condition known as "melanism", which is
common amongst the spotted cats. Black leopards, also known as panthers, are
not a separate species, but the same species of leopard. The spots can still
be seen, as dark black rosettes on a lighter dark brown background.
Melanistic leopards and normal leopards have been known to occur in the same
litter. Black leopards are more common in areas with denser trees. The
leopard's dark rosettes help it to blend into the foliage while stalking
their prey. Like human fingerprints, each individual leopard's spots are
unique.
