| Forests are shelter places for a number of many wild | | | | common and their black colouration seems to have no |
| animals that make our nature beautiful. They are | | | | role in their protection while the black leopards are |
| helpful to humans in a number of ways. Their bright | | | | very much common in the Ethiopian Highlands. |
| colours, soft fur, extremely developed running capability | | | | Pseudo-melanism or abundism has also been noticed |
| makes them immensely successful among the | | | | in case of leopards. The pseudo-melanistic leopard has |
| predators. We are talking about the leopards. | | | | the normal background colour but the spots are more |
| Leopards come under the kingdom Animalia and | | | | densely packed and merge together to match with the |
| phylum Chordata. They are placed in the class | | | | golden brown colour. The face and the under parts |
| Mammalia, order Carnivora as they are carnivores and | | | | are as usual as in the normal ones. |
| the family Felidae. The scientific name of the leopard is | | | | Behaviour and Biology |
| Panthera pardus. They are the smallest of the four big | | | | The leopards are known to be experts in climbing the |
| cats which includes lion, tiger and the jaguar. Earlier | | | | trees and are often seen resting on the branches of |
| they were distributed across the eastern and southern | | | | the trees. They are often noticed to climb rapidly over |
| Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa but now | | | | the trees with prey in their grip and are also seen |
| their population has declined heavily because of mass | | | | enjoying their prey on the branches. They are also |
| killing and they are now confined to areas of | | | | masters in swimming but not as great in comparison to |
| sub-Saharan Africa and also in fragmented numbers in | | | | other members of the cat family. They can run with a |
| India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indochina and China. IUCN has | | | | speed of about 58 kilometers per hour and are having |
| kept leopards in the category of Near Threatened | | | | the leaping capacity of 6 meters and jumping |
| species as they are on the verge of being extinct. | | | | horizontally ability of 3 meters vertically. They perform |
| Leopards have short legs, long body and large skull in | | | | a number of activities like roaring, grunting, growling, |
| comparison to others members of the cat family. It | | | | meowing and sawing sounds. Leopards are nocturnal |
| resembles jaguar but is smaller and somewhat slightly | | | | creatures easily studied in the open savannah habitats. |
| built. The body fur is marked by rosettes similar to that | | | | The leopards inhabiting the rain forests of West Africa |
| of the jaguar but the rosettes are somewhat smaller | | | | are diurnal and crepuscular. The leopards inhabiting in |
| and are more densely packed and lack the central | | | | the forests are known to exhibit specialization in the |
| spots as the jaguars possess. Jaguars and leopards | | | | prey selection and seasonal activity patterns. |
| both are melanistic and are commonly called as black | | | | Diet |
| panthers. Leopards are popular for their opportunistic | | | | Leopards are dynamic and opportunistic hunters seen |
| hunting behaviour as they are having the ability to | | | | hunting in the open savannas between the sunrise and |
| adapt to a wide variety of habitats and are capable of | | | | the sunset by taking the advantage of the bushes and |
| running with extremely fast speed which may be 58 | | | | the cloudy sky. The leopard stalks near its prey very |
| kilometers per hour and are capable of climbing the | | | | silently and then grabs its throat and the neck region. |
| trees swiftly even when carrying a heavy carcass. | | | | They are often seen to carry their prey over the |
| They are also notorious thieves and can steal the prey | | | | branches of the trees to enjoy it in a relaxed mood. |
| within a minute. It can easily catch and consume any | | | | They are capable of taking the prey about three times |
| animal it hunts. It is available from the rainforests to the | | | | heavier than their own body weight swiftly to the tree |
| desert terrains. | | | | branch. The leopards are the only known big cats that |
| Taxonomy and Evolution | | | | are capable of taking the prey to the branch of the |
| In the earlier times it was believed that leopard is the | | | | tree. The dietary demand of the leopards and the |
| hybrid of lion and panther. The generic name Panthera | | | | diversity of prey are extremely elaborate in |
| pardus is taken from a Greek word which means | | | | comparison to other species of the genus Panthera. |
| spotted fur. Like all other members of the Felidae | | | | The leopards are known to prey on smaller animals |
| genus Panthera is also a subject of debate and the | | | | like the dung beetles to large size animals including the |
| exact relations between all the four species including | | | | ungulates, monkeys and also they prefer to feed on |
| the snow leopard and the clouded leopard is still a | | | | rodents, amphibians, fishes, birds as well as reptiles. In |
| mystery. It is believed that the members of the family | | | | Africa the chitals, black bucks and the antelopes form |
| Felidae evolved about 11 million years ago. The last | | | | the favourite food of the leopards. |
| ancestor of lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard, snow leopard | | | | Reproduction and Life Cycle |
| and the clouded leopard made its existence about 6.37 | | | | The mating cycle of leopards continues throughout the |
| million years ago on the planet earth. A study | | | | year or seasonally during January and February |
| conducted by Yu and Zhang on the mitochondrial DNA | | | | depending upon the regions. The female stays in the |
| in 2005 shows that the leopard is very closely related | | | | receptive condition for about 7 days and the estrous |
| to the snow leopard. Johnson et al., also supports this | | | | cycle lasts for about 46 days. The gestation period is |
| view as they conducted a study in 2006. It is believed | | | | of 90-105 days. The cubs are born in groups of 2-4 |
| that leopard originated in Asia and later on migrated to | | | | and only 1 or 2 survive after the first year as the |
| Africa. About 27 subspecies of leopard were | | | | mortality rate is 40-50%. The cubs are born in the |
| suggested during the 18th century. But later on only | | | | caves, dens or under crevices. The eyes of the cubs |
| nine sub species were recognized. | | | | are closed when they are born and the eyes take 4-9 |
| Physical Characteristics | | | | days to open. The coat of the young ones is stronger |
| Leopard is a agile and stealthy predator. Although it is | | | | and thicker in comparison to that of the adults. The |
| smallest among the other members of the genus | | | | colour of the fur is paler with lesser number of spots. |
| Panthera but it bears a massive skull with strong and | | | | When the cubs are three months old they start |
| powerful jaw muscle. The body is comparatively long | | | | following their mother during the act of hunting. At the |
| and the legs are short. The head and body length is | | | | age of one year they become completely independent |
| about 125 cm and 165 cm. the tail length is about 110 to | | | | and are able to feed and defend themselves on their |
| 160 cm. the height of the shoulders is about 45-80 cm. | | | | own but they tend to remain with their mother for |
| the muscles that are attached to the scapula are | | | | about 18-24 months. The life span of the leopards is |
| extremely strong and are responsible for providing the | | | | noted to be around 21 years in captivity. The home |
| ability to the leopard to climb trees. The size of the | | | | range of leopards is about 30-78 kilometers which |
| adult leopards varies among the members of the | | | | includes 15-16 females. Leopards are solitary and apart |
| family. It has been reported the males are 30% larger | | | | from mating and hunting they are also known to |
| in size as compared to the females. The average | | | | participate in aggressive encounters. Leopards are |
| body weight of males is about 30 to 91 kg while that | | | | known to survive to a temperature range of 25°C. |
| of the female is 3 to 60 kg. The males of the Kruger | | | | Ecological Significance |
| National Park, South America are reported to weigh 91 | | | | Leopards have been observed to compete for food |
| kg while those that are found in the coastal mountains | | | | and shelter with other predators like the lions, tigers, |
| of South Africa are smaller and weigh about 30 kg | | | | spotted hyenas and both African and Asiatic wild |
| only. This variability in body weight may be due to the | | | | dogs. The predators may also cause damage to the |
| differences in the habitats. The leopards of the Middle | | | | young cubs or they may often kill the cubs. Even a |
| East are also smaller in body size. | | | | tiger or a lion can kill a leopard. Leopards have adapted |
| Leopards may be sometimes confused with other cat | | | | certain features to remain protected from these terrific |
| members like the cheetah and the jaguar. The three | | | | enemy and they often avoid those areas which are |
| can be distinguished by the pattern of the spots. The | | | | frequently visited by these predators. They often climb |
| cheetah has small, simple and densely packed spots | | | | on the trees in order to protect themselves but the |
| while the jaguars have small spots inside the rosettes. | | | | lions often get successful in snatching the preys taken |
| The leopards have smaller and rounder rosettes in | | | | by the leopards to the trees. |
| comparison to that of the jaguars. The leopards are | | | | Hybrids |
| larger and much stronger than the cheetah but they | | | | Cross breeding between the leopards and other |
| are smaller in size as compared to the jaguars and | | | | members of Panthera has resulted in the production of |
| lightly built. Leopards also show wide variation among | | | | hybrids. A cross conducted between a male leopard |
| the colour of the fur as well as the pattern of rosettes. | | | | and a female lioness resulted in the production of the |
| The leopards of the East Africa have circular rosettes | | | | offspring what we call a leopon. Leopons are |
| while those of the South Africa have square shaped | | | | produced under captivity and are surviving in the |
| rosettes. The colour of the coat is cream coloured of | | | | Koshien Hanshin Park in Nishinomiya, Japan in the late |
| more pale in the desert populations and those of the | | | | 1950s. A cross between the male jaguar and a female |
| colder climates have shades of gray. The species | | | | leopard results in the production of jagupard and the |
| dwelling in the rainforests have more golden coloured | | | | reverse cross results in the production of lepjags. A |
| coat. The coat under the belly is generally lighter in | | | | cross between a puma and the leopard is called as |
| colour and the spots or the rosettes are often seen on | | | | pumapard. |
| the face and the legs. | | | | Relationship with Humans |
| Colour Variation | | | | Leopards are the source of strength and have been |
| The mountainous regions and the rain forests house a | | | | used by human beings since time immemorial in the art, |
| melanistic form of the leopards. The colour of the fur is | | | | mythology and culture. Leopards as pets have been |
| black and is inherited by the offspring and is basically | | | | used by certain kings of the olden times. Many national |
| caused by the recessive gene loci. These forms are | | | | parks and sanctuaries have been established all over |
| called as black panthers. The melanistic leopards are | | | | the world which are providing not only protection to |
| common to the Malayan Peninsula and according to a | | | | these species but are also a source of earning good |
| report of 2007 all the leopards of the Taman Negara | | | | currency. Generally leopards avoid killing human beings |
| National Park were melanistic. The advantage of such | | | | but loss of habitats and insufficient quantity of prey |
| melanism may be helping in protection but exact | | | | compels them to attack human beings. |
| reason is not clear. It has also been believed that | | | | Leopards are the beautiful creatures which make our |
| melanism helps in strengthening the immune system in | | | | environment beautiful and we must take care of these |
| an unknown way. In Africa the black leopards are less | | | | animals which are on the verge of extinction. |