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South African Leopard

Could be considered as one of South Africa's more elusive & yet most sought after, majestic cat 's is the leopard. The male leopard frequently measures over 80 centimeters high, from the ground to shoulder and weigh from twenty to ninety kilograms. Female leopards are far smaller, totaling from seventeen to slightly Exceeding sixty kg's. These South African leopards are much smaller than their lion cousins however bigger than a cheetah.
The leopard is literally spotted by darker rounded paw patches called (rosettes). Against the lighter background fur, these markings provide fantastic camouflage in the dense foliage.














Fast Facts

Leopards are capable of running over 60 kilometers per hour over small distances. It is able leap over six meters across, and over 3 meters straight up. An African Leopard are often very good swimmer. The leopard is the littlest cat within the 4 "big cats" and more closely looks like its relative the Jaguar.

On the Leopards Dinner Menu

Out in the wild Leopards, much like other carnivores would gorge feed themselves. Once capturing game and killing it, leopards will eat as much food as they possibly can at the time.

Reasons for this are that Leopards could easily lose their kill to a bigger predator or, may be unable to get another kill in the immediate future.

An extraordinary fact is that leopards are one of the very few wild animals (other than man) that will kill for sport

It is not out of the ordinary to see trees in Africa with several carcasses dangling in the canopyof the tree. although a leopard may have more than enough food in its stomach, leopards canā??t resist the urge to pounce on vulnerable prey.

These Animals are considered "opportunistic" hunters and have somewhat of a adaptive feeding regime.

Leopards carry killed carcuses up into trees. Leopards have been known to carry double their body mass over 10m directly up the trunk of a tree , using only their mouth to hold the prey.

In other words, try to imagine hauling two people, your same body mass into a tree holding onto them only with your jaw muscles.

They will feed on proteins in nearly whatever form. This ranges from beetles and lizards to antelopes twice its own size. It frequently feeds on any carcass that it may find and can hide rather large kills in trees away from other predators, venturing back nightly to feed on the downed game.

Their main food sources may consist of well over thirty different game species including (not limited to): mid sized antelope like Thomson's Gazelle, Reedbuck, Impalas, & the young and weak of larger animals (hartebeest, wildebeest, zebra) as the primary food groups, hares, birds, baboons & smaller carnivores are also in the food chain.

Habitats of African Leopards

The leopard is truly amazing animals, able to adapt to nearly any location which can provide it with enough prey and shelter.

Leopards were generally quite widespread and would be located across a vast range of environments.

Currently in South Africa human pressures have drastically down scaled the leopards numbers and in most areas, leopards are on the border of extinction.

Leopards are a very resiliant animals, being found in all types of terrain such as heavily wooded areas, open savannas, , bush & semi desert. At home on rocky cliffs, tropical rain forests.

Reproduction

Leopards are capable of breeding between 2 and 3 years, and produce 1 - 3 cubs after a 90-100 day gestation. The cubs become independent between 13 - 18 months, and siblings may remain together for several months before separating. Females in captivity have produced offspring as old as 19 years, but the average age of last reproduction is 8.5 years.

In captivity, leopards have lived over 23 years, as compared to 10 - 11 in the wild.

Leopards are solitary cats, and use the same methods as the other cats for defining their territory: scent marking, feces, and scratch marks.


South African Two Hundred Rand Bank Note With Image of a Leopard

The South African bank note has a picture of the African leopard. This currency denomination is the highest note from the Southern African Reserve Bank.

See The Most Amazing Leopard Attack On Camera

The Big Cat's Species

Great cat species include only the four species of the genus Panthera:

  • Lion
  • Tiger
  • Leopard
  • Jaguar

Members of this group are the only cats able to roar. Vocalization of a roar is a identifying characteristic of great cats. the young of the great cats are called "cubs" while the young of the smaller cats are referred "kittens".



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