| The word leopard reflects the supposed evolutionary | | | | in India, leopard enjoys greater success since it |
| origin of the big cat, with the original belief being that | | | | survives in areas with scarce water. The same is true |
| it was a hybrid of lion (leo) and panther (pard). | | | | in Africa where conflicts with lions and hyenas are |
| However, the closest resemblance is to the Jaguar, | | | | won by the leopard's terrific ability to carry prey up |
| even as the leopard is less stocky and its rosette | | | | to three times its weight into trees, beyond the |
| coat markings are smaller, more numerous and lack | | | | reach of its competitors. Its tree climbing abilities are |
| internal spots. The rosettes also distinguish it from | | | | the best among cats and alongside a strong |
| the spots of the Cheetah. Plus leopard is a more | | | | swimming ability make it the best hunter in all of |
| gifted tree climber and a nocturnal hunter, whereas | | | | Africa, surviving in drought and tough climatic |
| Cheetah prefers the less competitive daytime for his | | | | conditions where others perish. |
| kills. | | | | Whilst the prey base is diverse, leopard may at times |
| Coloration is usually tawny yellow with the black | | | | attack humans. The risks are supplemented in case |
| rosettes ranging from a circular shape in East African | | | | of disease, eradication of prey animals and habitat |
| leopard to square in South African Leopard. Melanism | | | | encroachment. As man-eaters, leopards are |
| is frequently seen with the black leopard often found | | | | extremely dangerous and very hard to eliminate. |
| in dense forests of South East Asia. Called 'panther', | | | | Their great stalking ability and cunning makes them |
| the black coloration is a result of the merging | | | | the most feared killers amongst men. Many in Africa |
| together of skin markings. Designed for camouflage, | | | | and India don't fear the lion and tiger, respectively, as |
| leopard's coat is generally considered as one of the | | | | much as they do the leopard that spares nothing and |
| most beautiful in animal kingdom and varies according | | | | yet is never seen. In fact many hunters maintain the |
| to the habitat of the great hunter. Its geographical | | | | leopard to be ten times as dangerous as a lion or |
| distribution is also used for classification purposes as | | | | tiger, making it a killer of great notoriety. Whereas |
| leopard is segregated into nine modern species (down | | | | other man-eating cats almost never dare to enter |
| from a previous thirty), namely the African Leopard, | | | | human settlements at day time, leopard has been |
| Amur Leopard, Arabian Leopard, Indian Leopard, | | | | known to take people from inside their houses! The |
| Indo-Chinese Leopard, Java Leopard, North China | | | | famous Panar Leopard and Rudraprayag Leopard of |
| Leopard, Persian Leopard and Sri Lankan Leopard. | | | | India are startling examples (more on man-eating |
| The Snow Leopard, Clouded Leopard and Bornean | | | | later!). |
| Clouded Leopard are all considered separate species | | | | Solitary creatures, leopards come in unison for |
| now (to be discussed later!). | | | | mating, that may occur seasonally or year-round |
| A graceful hunter, leopard epitomizes stealth and | | | | depending on the individual sub-specie. Two or three |
| predation. Leopard's ability to go undetected enables | | | | cubs are born that the female takes great care to |
| it to prey on the most sensitive of animals like | | | | protect and hide, warning intruders into its territory |
| gazelles and dogs. The most successful hunter | | | | by roaring and hissing (leopard's growl is slightly |
| amongst big cats, leopard spares nothing - takes | | | | different from lion and tiger's loud roars - I personally |
| everything as prey from insects to birds, reptiles, | | | | find the rumbling growl of the leopard more |
| monkeys, fish and deer. Its wide prey base | | | | frightening!). The young are able to hunt at nearly |
| supplemented by its ability to survive in diverse | | | | one year of age but may stay with the mother up |
| environments ensures leopard's survival beyond the | | | | to one and a half to two years. |
| realm of its peers. Despite rare predation by the tiger | | | | |