The name "leopard" originated from the mistaken belief that the leopard
was a hybrid between the lion (Leo) and the "pard" (Panther). In
fact, panthers are not a separate species of cat at all; the leopard, like
the lion, is simply another species of the genus Panthera. The words
"pard" and "panther" are confusing terms which have been used for several
of the big cat species.
Leopards (Panthera pardus)
have highly variable coats, essentially pale brown and whitish on the underside.
The back and flanks bear black, rosette-shaped spots. Usually the
spots are smaller on the head and larger on the belly and limbs.
These markings serve the leopard well by breaking up its body contours
and helping it to blend into the background. A recessive gene causes
melanism, a totally black coat, in many leopards. This strain of
leopard has caused the incorrect belief that the "black panther" is a distinct
cat species.
Habitat and Distribution:
Because of its highly adaptable hunting and feeding practices, the leopard
has the widest distribution of all the big cats. Throughout Africa--south
of the Sahara--and southern Asia, it inhabits most areas with sufficient
cover and suitable supplies of prey, including tropical rainforests, dry
savannahs and cold mountains.
Diet and Hunting:
During the day, leopards rest in tall grass, thickets or on a tree limb.
Generally, they hunt alone in the evening or at night. They stalk
to within a few yards of the prey and then make a leap. They hunt
a wide variety of animals, mainly small mammals and birds, but also such
animals as deer, wild sheep and baboons. Because of the variety and
small size of their prey, leopards avoid competition with other carnivores.
After eating to satisfaction at the location of the kill, the leopard drags
the remains into a tree to keep it out of the reach of scavengers.
Behavior: Except
during the breeding season, leopards are almost entirely solitary.
Like many other cats, they mark their territories by urinating, defecating
and scratching trees. The fiercest of the big cats, the leopard sometimes
even attacks people without provocation.
Status: More
than 100,000 leopards survive today, but their numbers are going down.
The population decline can be attributed to their attacks upon domestic
livestock and also to the value placed on their skins. Moreover,
in Africa, the leopard is one of the "Big Five" most-sought-after prey
of the Western sport hunter, the other four being the lion, buffalo, elephant
and rhinoceros.
World Wildlife Fund
endeavors to put a stop to the illegal traffic in endangered cat skins
as well as to create and maintain reserves to protect them and other endangered
species.
