Leopards
The Leopard Big Cat
The Leopard is considered the smallest big cat relative in the Genus Panthera family although it is very similar in size to the Jaguar. Its physical cat form has quite short legs with a long trunk and body. The head of the leopard is also large in comparison to the size of the body with the overall build being much smaller than the rest of the genus Panthera family, includin the lion, jaguar and tiger that the Leopard belongs too.
Leopard Fur
The Leopards fur is highly decorated with what most people refer to as spots and this serves a primary survival function, giving the leopard camouflage in their original environment of Africa. The spots on the fur are actually rosettes and do change shape depending on which part of Africa they live in. In the south they tend to be square, as appose to the east where the rosettes are more circular.
The Leopard Big Cat
Locality of the Leopard
The Leopard was once quite widespread worldwide, but with the increasing human population this has changed with species of Leopard now living throughout Africa, Malaysia, China and Korea. However it’s still considered more widespread than most of the other genus Panthera family, possibly due to its loner instincts and its keen sense of survival skills, making it harder to be spotted by potential threats of both the human and animal kind.
Leopard Traits
One of the most well known Leopard traits is its ability to easily climb trees, unlike the tiger and the lion the Leopard has no trouble climbing tress, and dismounting trees front paws first. Often seen laying on tree branches it’s not unknown for leopards to make a kill then drag it into a tree, well out of the range of any local tigers or lions who very rarely attempt to climb trees, or any other local wildlife that fancies a free meal.
The Leopard, like the Jaguar is a solitary animal and does not live in the pride format of the Lions. When a female leopard gives birth to a cub it will keep it by its side until it is fully grown. In this time the cub will learn from its mother, how to hunt and how to survive in the wilderness becoming the amazing creature we all know.