African Leopard

Leopards primarily hunt primates and mid-sized ungulates (hooved animals), which consist of small antelopes, gazelles, deer, and wild pigs. They are opportunistic carnivores, meaning they eat a variety of foods when available. Besides their main prey, leopards also eat birds, reptiles, rodents, and carrion (dead animals).

At the Zoo, leopards are offered a specialized ground carnivore diet. They regularly receive bones and other types of meat for enrichment.

Eight subspecies of leopards live in regions throughout Africa and Asia. Historically widespread across the continent, the African leopard is now primarily found in fragmented populations throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Leopards live in a variety of habitats, including forests, scrublands, grasslands, and even deserts.

Adult leopards have limited predators outside of humans. Younger leopards are vulnerable to predation from lions, spotted hyenas, and painted dogs.

The transformation of forests and savanna habitats into farms, ranches, and urban areas has greatly reduced the living space for leopards. As their habitat has shrunk, there are fewer natural prey animals, which leads to more conflicts with farmers. As a result, leopards sometimes hunt domestic livestock and game for food. Additionally, leopards face threats from trophy hunting and the illegal trade of their skins and bones.

The leopard is a large cat with a long body and short limbs. These limbs are strong, with special shoulder muscles that help leopards climb well. They can carry a kill that weighs up to two and a half times their body weight into trees to keep it safe from scavengers. They can leap 18 feet into trees to sleep or rest.

Leopards have broad heads with powerful jaws. Their ears are small and round, and they have long whiskers on their upper lip and eyebrows to help them navigate through dense vegetation. The color of their short fur changes based on where they live, usually appearing yellow in warm, dry places and more orange in dense forests. Their bodies are covered in spots that look like rosettes on their torso and upper limbs, while the lower limbs and head usually have a more solid color. Cubs are born with a smoky gray coat, and their spots are more solid. The spots on adult leopards help them blend into the vegetation, making them effective ambush predators.

Leopards are not monogamous, meaning both males and females have multiple mates. Breeding occurs throughout the year, but peaks during rainy season. Female leopards usually have their first litter of cubs around the age of three, while males are ready to breed by about four years old.

After a gestation period of about three months, a female leopard typically gives birth to two cubs. When they are born, the cubs weigh around two pounds, and their eyes stay closed for the first ten days.

To hunt and find food, mothers will leave their cubs hidden in safe places like thick bushes, rock holes, or hollow tree trunks for up to 36 hours. They often change dens to keep their cubs safe from predators. Cubs start to come out of the den when they are six to eight weeks old and begin eating solid food. They are fully weaned by three months and become independent before they turn two years old. Although they leave their mother, they might stay with their siblings and remain in their mother’s territory for a while after becoming independent.

Leopards have various vocalizations, including a raspy cough to announce territorial boundaries, a soothing purr when they’re happy, and a hiss when they feel threatened. Leopards do not roar. They also communicate with other leopards using scent markings from special glands, as well as urine and feces.

Leopards are solitary and nocturnal. They are ambush predators, approaching potential prey by crouching low to the ground and getting as close as possible before pouncing up to 18 feet. They can run at bursts of up to 37 miles per hour.