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Leopard(Panthera pardus), a mammal of the cat family. Full classification: subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammals, or Beasts (Mammalia), subclass Real Beasts (Theria), order Carnivora (Carnivora), family Felidae, subfamily Felinae, genus Big cats (Pantera). In our country it is known as the leopard.
A very beautiful cat with an elongated, flexible, slender and at the same time strong body (91-180 cm), a rounded head, a long tail (75-110 cm), slender, strong legs. Body weight is usually 32-40 kg, occasionally up to 100 kg.
The color is yellow, with one shade or another. Scattered across a yellow background with one shade or another (on the body, tail, legs) are clearly defined solid and ring-shaped black spots. The fur of a leopard from tropical countries is thick, but not fluffy, and very brightly colored. African leopards have small spots, while Asian leopards have larger ones. The color of the Central Asian is sandy-grayish, the Far Eastern is reddish-yellow. The Far Eastern animal has fluffy, thicker, rather dull fur in winter. Very bright, rich tones in the coloring of leopards in dense tropical forests.
Leopards do not like water and rain: they hide if it rains. They bury their droppings like cats. They know how to sleep on a tree, hiding in the branches. Excellent hearing and vision. Sense of smell is weak. Will be born, but very rarely albino leopards and the so-called flaviists: for these, it’s as if nature didn’t have enough black paint - the spots are faded, ocher, in best case scenario chocolate. Forest leopards the largest of its kind. And the smallest one - Somali leopard.
The leopard lives over a vast territory that is larger than that of any other member of the cat family. It inhabits most of Africa (except the Sahara), the southern half of Asia, South-Eastern Europe. Until recently, the leopard was found in the Caucasus, but now it occasionally appears only in Transcaucasia, sometimes in Central Asia, and more often in the southern part of Primorye.
The leopard's habitat is remote tropical, subtropical and mixed forests Manchurian type, mountain slopes, plains, savannas, thickets along river banks. It happens that the predator lives near populated areas, stays alone and hunts at night. The leopard climbs trees well, often resting there for the day or in ambush, and sometimes even catches monkeys in trees or hides prey from other predators. However, the main hunting area is land. While inferior in strength to a tiger or lion, a leopard surpasses them in the ability to silently and deftly sneak up on its prey.
This is a very cunning cat. A leopard can lie in the sun for hours, pretending to be dead, writhing, moaning and pretending to be dying, thereby luring inexperienced, curious deer or camels. If a leopard hunts from an ambush, it makes a huge leap (the height of the jump can reach 5.5 m), falling on the victim’s back, biting it in the scruff of the neck and knocking it to the ground. The main prey of leopards are small antelopes, deer, roe deer and other ungulates, but hard times he can hunt rodents, monkeys, birds, and does not disdain reptiles and insects. Among leopards there are also cannibals, which are superior to man-eating tigers in their boldness of attack. In India, one leopard killed 125 people in eight years. Another killed 400 people in 77 mountain villages and terrorized the locals at night until he was shot dead.
Leopards usually lead night look life. They usually hunt alone. Leopards breed in the southern regions all year round. On Far East Mating occurs in January. Like other cats, leopards start fights at this time, accompanied by loud roars from the males, although in normal times the leopard is silent. Pregnancy lasts 3 months, 1-3 cubs appear. They are born blind and helpless. But very soon they begin to see the light and begin their first forays for frogs and little birds. By the time they learn to hunt, their vision becomes so acute that they can see prey 1.5 km away. Young leopards reach full height and sexual maturity, with females somewhat earlier than males.
In the Chitavan National Park in Nepal, a female tiger, accompanied by two six-month-old tiger cubs, and a female leopard, who gave birth to kittens after tagging, were radio-collared. Radio tracking of these two predators was carried out from December to April. Both females stayed in the same area of riverine forest with tall grass vegetation. The individual home range of a tigress was 9.3 km 2 , and that of a female leopard was 8 km 2 . The areas completely overlapped, but the females avoided meetings, although the distance between them was sometimes from 100 to 500 m. These ecologically close predators were allowed to avoid each other by the fact that the tigress stuck to areas with dense woody vegetation, and the female leopard - more open spaces, covered with forbs. At the same time, the tiger, except at night, was active in the cooler morning hours, the leopard - in the early evening.
The number of leopards is small everywhere, so it is included in the IUCN Red List. Recently, the leopard has been one of the favorite trophies of hunters due to its skin being highly prized in the fur market.
Amur leopard(Pantera pardus orientalis) is found in the Far East; by 1973, its number was only 20-25 individuals permanently living there, and 18-21 coming from China and Korea. This subspecies is so rare that few zoos in the world are honored to have it in their collection. According to the latest data, only 30 individuals of the Amur ( Far Eastern) leopard. Since December 2002, a fundraising campaign began to carry out work to preserve this subspecies of leopards. Will be released computer game, by playing which you can establish the desired survival strategy for the Amur leopard. It is assumed that one of the winning strategies will be taken as the basis for the real restoration of the subspecies.
The harsh conditions of the region with cold snowy winters and a limited food supply did not previously allow the Amur leopard to have a more or less significant number, and in last decades active economic activity man is steadily being pushed out of his original habitats and brought to a very dangerous edge... The remaining habitats of this graceful graceful cat are annually exposed to significant detrimental effects forest fires, the breed dies and the food supply is undermined. Poaching of not only the main food items of leopards - roe deer, sika deer, raccoon dog, badger, hare, but also the leopard itself has not been stopped. And it’s not difficult to get it: almost any pack of dogs can drive not only a young, but also an adult animal up a tree, and when hungry, it will follow any bait and end up in traps. This is what poachers take advantage of.
The only reserve where the Far Eastern leopard breeds is Kedrovaya Pad, but it is so small - about 18 thousand hectares - that it does not play a significant role in the conservation of this wonderful cat - only one male lives here permanently, and breeds, as a rule, no more two females. Almost every year the reserve “releases” from two to four young leopards outside its boundaries, but the surroundings of the reserve are so developed by humans and unsuitable for the animals to live that they are doomed to death from a poacher’s bullet or from starvation. The last refuge of the leopard in the Ussuri region remains small an area of southwestern Primorye with a length of about 200 kilometers from the Razdolnaya River to Posiet Bay. But even here it remains only in a narrow, poorly developed mountainous strip of coniferous-deciduous and deciduous forests along the border with China.
Central Asian leopard(Pantera pardus ciscaucasica) has a population of no more than 10 individuals in the Caucasus (or maybe it no longer exists at all), and in the Kopetdag - 10. The Persian leopard lives in Armenia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Now about two thousand individuals live in the wild, and 174 live in 72 zoos around the world. In the summer of 2007, three Persian leopard kittens were born at the Budapest Zoo: 2 females and a male.
Even in the last century, the Central Asian leopard could be found in all mountainous regions of Turkmenistan, southern Uzbekistan, southwestern Tajikistan, as well as in Iran, Turkey and some areas of the Caucasus. At that time, the leopard’s range was several million hectares; now it has decreased to 600-800 thousand hectares. In some areas the leopard has completely disappeared, in others its numbers are very low. Even in those areas where the leopard still lives - in the Kopetdag mountains in Turkmenistan - it faces the problem of a lack of food resources - wild ungulates, which forces it to hunt domestic animals and thus come into conflict with the local population.
Until 1940-1950, when the number of leopards fell sharply, its population in Western Kopetdag was relatively stable. By the beginning of the 1990s. the population has declined significantly following the decline in the populations of animals that serve as its main food sources - argali, bezoar goat and wild boar. Arose real threat disintegration of the population into isolated groups and even its complete disappearance, as happened with the population Turanian tiger.
Clouded leopard
(Neofelis nebulosa), contrary to its name, has no relation to real leopards. It is distinguished by significant morphological and ecological originality and occupies an intermediate position between small and large cats. The clouded leopard's pupil is not round, like big cats, but ovoid. In addition, the larynx is designed like that of small cats. He is able to purr like small cats. Sometimes it is classified into a special genus (Neofelis).
The clouded leopard has a body 62-106 cm long and a tail 60-90 cm long. The weight of this predator is in the range of 16-30 kg, so it cannot be classified as a big cat, but it is the largest representative of medium-sized cats. It has an elongated flexible body, short legs, with wide paws and hard, bare calluses, convenient for climbing trees. Thick grayish or yellowish fur is decorated with an elegant pattern of wide and narrow markings in the form of circles, rosettes, ovals, the rear edges of which are more clearly defined than the front ones, which enhances the effectiveness of the coloring. A very beautiful black marble pattern on a bright yellow or yellow-gray background. The chest and belly are light or white with a few spots. There are dark brown or black elongated spots on the neck and back. The tail is heavy, furry, colored with non-joining black rings. The eyes are yellow.
The clouded leopard has an elongated skull, which distinguishes it from other cats. His fangs are larger than those of other cats in proportion to body size. Sometimes it is classified as a modern “saber-tooth.” It feeds on deer, large cattle, goats, wild pigs, reptiles, birds and monkeys. It can hunt both day and night, tracking its game on the ground or overtaking it in a jump from a tree.
The clouded leopard's range is South Asia from Nepal, Sikkim, Southern China south to Sumatra and Kalimantan. Habitat: dense rainforests, thickets of bushes, swamps. The clouded leopard spends most of its time in trees. It hunts mainly at night, more often on birds, but also attacks monkeys, pigs, sika deer, goats, and porcupines. Sometimes it jumps on its prey from branches hanging above the ground, but often hunts directly on the ground.
There are four species of clouded leopards in total. Their color varies from darkish yellow-brown (in the southern part of their range) to light yellow (these are found in southern China).
Pregnancy of females lasts 86-92 days. There are from 2 to 5 kittens in a litter. The cubs are born in hollows and develop relatively slowly. The clouded leopard is a rare animal; it is listed in the IUCN Red List.
Identified in 2007 the new kind clouded leopards in Sumatra and Borneo. The discovery was made by geneticists from National Institute cancer in the USA (US National Cancer Institute) and a group of representatives of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Until now, clouded leopards were classified as belonging to the species, found on the mainland South-East Asia. Scientists now believe that the two species diverged more than a million years ago, and have evolved separately since then.
Clouded leopard(Felis nebulosa) Borneo islands - the most large predator territory, in size it is similar to a small leopard. Its weight is about 20 kg, and its body length is 1.6-1.9 m, with the tail taking up almost half. The fact that the species separated was established by scientists at the National Cancer Institute in the USA using a DNA test, which showed about 40 differences between them. Another confirmation was obtained by studying the characteristics of animal fur. Leopards from Borneo and Sumatra have small "clouds" with many distinct spots in them, gray or dark fur, and double stripes along their backs.
The spots are separated from each other by thin strips of bright brown (slightly reddish) fur. The spots of mainland leopards are different large size. In addition, the animal is much lighter in color; the main fur color of Asian leopards is brown-yellow. Their mainland counterparts have dark spots on their skins with smaller, often faintly visible dots, their fur is lighter and its color is more reddish-brown. According to WWF, there are from 5 to 11 thousand leopards on the island, and in addition, from 3 to 7 thousand animals are found in Sumatra.
Mountain leopard lives in the Alps. There are literally only a few of this subspecies in the world. On May 14, 2003, a short story was broadcast on television about the fact that one specimen of the mountain alpine leopard was acquired by the Buenos Aires Zoo. During the moments of the plot, we were able to note a short body, thick, long, fluffy, spotted fur. This is how animals living in harsh high mountain conditions should have it. I was struck by the cat’s extreme cuteness and gentleness. A species of mountain leopard found in the mountains of Africa.
In tropical countries, dark-colored leopards are sometimes found, which are called black panthers. If you look closely, you can see even darker spots on the black background. Scientists have recently established that the panther and the black leopard are the same species. Black panthers are commonly found in Java. Black individuals can be born in the same litter with normally colored cubs.
The main prey of the leopard are roe deer, small antelopes, deer, wild boars, monkeys, and hares. Average weight the prey is usually 25 - 50 kilograms, but a leopard is able to crush a horse, zebra, cow and even a gorilla. And with all this, he is not averse to eating a locust, a vole or a frog. And you can imagine - he catches and feasts on fish!
In Primorye, until the beginning of the 20th century, its favorite prey were sika deer and goral. Now these animals in the wild have become very rare, but there are a lot of deer on state fur farms. And the predator uses every opportunity to penetrate the deer farm park and indulge his soul on his favorite hunt. The leopard is a smart animal, it understands well how a visit to the deer farms can end, and yet it goes for it.
The leopard has keen hearing and sharp eyesight, and it sees well in seemingly impenetrable darkness. With its bright coloring, the supercat perfectly camouflages itself in the area. In a rare clear forest, you can walk past a motionless animal lying a few meters away and not notice it. It sneaks invisibly even in grass 30 - 40 centimeters high, as if pressing into the ground. Its color camouflages especially well in autumn or during drought, when yellow and brown leaves and withered grasses are everywhere.
On a tree, a leopard lying motionless in a fork or on a thick sunu often cannot be noticed even by an experienced and keen-sighted local hunter - so much so does the animal merge with the general background of the tree bark, flickering in the glare of the sun. Only the tail gives away the supercat: she forgets about it, and it hangs down, and when the animal gets excited, the tip of the tail moves.
Like the tiger, the leopard has an irresistible hatred of jackals, wolves, dogs and a passion for their meat.
A large hungry leopard can eat medium-sized prey in two days, but a well-fed one can eat it for almost a week. What is not eaten is hidden in reserve. In Africa and South Asia, this animal, fearing jackals, hyenas and other lovers of prey on strangers, usually drags its prey onto a rock or into a fork large tree and here he settles himself.
But here’s another mystery: the leopard finishes its large prey on the fourth or fifth day, when it is already smelly. He does not disdain carrion, and if another predator tastes the prey during his absence, the leopard no longer touches it. Pride? Disgust? Unknown.
Leopard - a thunderstorm of monkeys. Monkeys, chimpanzees, and all monkey relatives are terrified of not only a living predator, but even its frayed cords. What can you do: they don’t always manage to escape from his rapid throws, even in the trees. When the super cat walks through the forest, the monkeys, climbing to the tops of the trees, raise an unimaginable hubbub. Baboons - large, brave and strong monkeys - are constantly wary of the leopard: the herd maintains a perimeter defense during the transition, and during feeding and resting it is vigilantly guarded by guards.
Our distant ancestors also often died in the claws of a leopard. Maybe that’s why this beast is not afraid of people even now. Often found in scientific literature Don't believe reports of leopard cowardice. Cowardice and prudent caution are not the same thing and should not be confused. The leopard is insanely brave and at the same time careful. Pursuing prey, he sometimes comes close to settlements, however, from meeting with modern man began to evade without showing haste or nervousness. There have been attacks by leopards on people, but almost all of them were caused by persecution i.e. attacks on a person were instigated by the person himself: Like the tiger, the leopard does not tolerate this, he is too proud and independent.
The leopard is protected throughout its range and is listed in the International Red Book; The main threat to it is associated with changes in natural habitats and a reduction in food supply. The leopard skin trade, once a serious problem, has now faded into the background, and the main concern is the poaching of animals for the needs of oriental medicine. Only large reserves can guarantee the survival of the species.
The lion and the tiger are relatives of the leopard, but the closest of them in origin is appearance and lifestyle of the jaguar, living in the South and Central America. He is almost the same color, with dark spots on a yellow background, only a little larger and a little stockier in build. And the habits are the same. In a word, brother leopard and supercat of the New World.
Lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar are all in the same genus panther. They are so close that they produce hybrid crosses between themselves. And if the cat family deservedly bears the laurels of the most specialized predatory animals, then the four representatives of the panther genus are nothing less than the elite of the cat family.
While inferior to the lion and tiger in size, the leopard wins in agility and swiftness of movements. He climbs trees and rocks beautifully and feels no less free there than on the ground. His reaction is instant, attacks are lightning fast, he knows no fear. And it’s not for nothing that many scientists and famous hunters consider the leopard to be the most perfect of cats - a supercat.
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Leopard is one of the big cats belonging to the genus Panthera. Its closest relatives are the tiger, lion and Snow Leopard, with which the leopard has many similarities.
Leopard (Panthera pardus).
The beauty of the leopard can compete with the tiger, but it is inferior in size: the leopard’s body length is 1-1.8 m, weight 35-70 kg. Otherwise, the leopard is a typical cat with a flexible body, a long tail and strong clawed paws. The leopard's skin has an unrivaled spotted coloration. The main color of the coat is yellow or red with a transition to White color on the underside of the body.
A leopard looks out for prey.
But among leopards there are often animals with increased content pigment in the wool, in this case the animal’s skin becomes black or black-brown with barely visible spots. Such leopards are usually called panthers. The fur of this animal is short but thick and is valued as an excellent finishing material.
The spots on the skin of this panther are clearly visible. This proves that the panther is actually just a color form of the leopard.
The leopard's range is very extensive. This cat is found everywhere in the vastness of Africa and Asia, reaching in the north to the Caucasus Mountains and Amur taiga. This animal very easily adapts to different habitats and inhabits different landscapes: the leopard can be found in savannas, semi-deserts, mountains and dense forests.
Leopard climbs over rocks.
Like any cat, the leopard leads single image life. Usually he moves silently on soft paws, spotted skin perfectly camouflages it among leaves and grass. As a rule, the leopard waits out the heat of the day in a secluded place and goes hunting at dusk. But in the presence of abundant prey, he easily changes his regime and hunts during the day.
Leopard sleeps on a tree.
The leopard feeds mainly on ungulates - small antelopes, gazelles, deer, wild pigs, and roe deer. In some areas, leopards often hunt monkeys. On occasion, they can eat smaller animals - birds, rodents and even reptiles. Leopards disdain carrion and eat it only in cases of extreme hunger. Leopards lie in wait for their prey and stealthily approach it for a short distance, after which they overtake it with a huge leap and strangle it by the throat.
In the trees, leopards chase monkeys by deftly jumping from branch to branch.
In general, the leopard climbs trees better than all other cats and constantly drags its killed prey onto branches, making it inaccessible to other predators. But the leopard itself will not miss the opportunity to take prey from a weaker hunter, for example, a cheetah.
Leopards do not have a specific breeding season, with the exception of animals living in the north (Amur leopards have a mating season in winter). Pregnancy lasts 3 months, after which the female gives birth to 1-3 cubs. For offspring, she chooses a lair in a cave or dense thickets. Leopard kittens are born blind, but grow quickly and soon begin to leave the den. Young animals stay with their mother for up to 1-1.5 years, during which time the female brings them wounded animals and teaches them the art of hunting.
Leopard cubs.
An adult healthy leopard, due to its stealth, strength and agility, has practically no enemies. The main competitors of leopards are lions and hyenas in Africa, tigers and wolves in Asia. These animals can take leopards' prey and attack young animals, but since leopards usually hide their prey in trees, this rarely happens. Leopards can sometimes be injured while hunting by warthogs or buffalos. More often this happens with young, inexperienced animals. Weak and old animals can approach human habitation and hunt more defenseless prey - goats, sheep, dogs, poultry. In exclusively in rare cases A leopard can also become a man-eater.
But usually people pose the biggest threat to leopards. These animals have been hunted for centuries. Although short leopard fur is not suitable for making warm clothing, due to its beauty it is used for decoration and simply as home decoration. Among all nations, leopard hunting was a hunt of nobility and prestige. This beast itself has become a symbol of power and is often found as an element of heraldry. In captivity, leopards get along well and can reproduce. The number of some leopard subspecies has reached a critical level and requires special measures for breeding in captivity.
A young leopard plays in the zoo.
on the unique behavior of the leopard.
The leopard is one of the most common wild cats on the planet. Today in wildlife There are 9 subspecies, which is more than other cat species. At the same time, only one subspecies is in relatively no danger so far - the African one. All the rest are more or less at risk, and some are already on the verge of extinction.
Leopards can be found from South Africa to our Far East. If in East Africa It is quite easy to meet a leopard, but on the Arabian Peninsula, in Asia and in our Far East this is not very possible.
So, below I present to your attention all representatives of the species.
African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus)
Let's start with the most common one. The ancestor of the leopard came to Africa from Asia, but it arose and developed into the modern leopard on the black continent about 500-800 thousand years ago. Later (about 300,000 years ago) it spread to Asia.
The size and weight of leopards depend on the geographic area of their habitat and vary greatly. Individuals inhabiting forests are usually smaller and lighter, while those living on open areas- on the contrary, larger than their forest counterparts.
The leopard is an excellent climber in trees, often settling there for a daytime rest or in ambush, and sometimes even catching monkeys in trees. However, the leopard mainly hunts on the ground. It sneaks up on prey within a jumping distance. Jumps on prey and strangles it.
In Africa, it lives both in the humid jungles of the central regions of the continent, and in the mountains, savannas and semi-deserts. Leopard avoids large deserts and arid areas without water and therefore absent from the Sahara and the driest regions of Namibia.
Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca)
This is the second largest subspecies. Today, according to rough estimates, there are about 11,000 individuals.
This big cat the size of African subspecies. It differs from it in a more contrasting fur color, the general background of the fur is darker. The muzzle is wide, the ears are short.
Found in dry deciduous forests, tropical forests, northern coniferous forests. In the mountains they rise to heights of up to 2,500 meters above sea level.
In the 1920s in North India In Rudraprayag district, a leopard killed 125 people in 8 years.
Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr)
This is an almost extinct subspecies. The last count was carried out more than 10 years ago and showed that there are no more than 200 individuals left in the wild, plus about 50 live in zoos.
It is the smallest subspecies of leopard. The weight of males is up to 30 kg, females - only up to 20 kg. This does not prevent the leopard from being a strong predator and hunting medium-sized prey: gazelles, Nubian mountain goats, For example.
Previously, it was widespread throughout the Middle East. Now the range has been greatly reduced, and in many regions it is on the verge of extinction.
Central Asian leopard (Panthera pardus ciscaucasica)
The largest of the leopards. It is also called “Caucasian” or “Persian”. One of two subspecies living in Russia. However, it was introduced into Russia artificially. Now scientists are trying to restore the population, which disappeared in the middle of the last century. This subspecies mainly lives in Iran, where there are about 800 individuals.
There are light and dark color types of this leopard.
In July 2016, in a specially selected territory of the Caucasian biosphere reserve released three Central Asian leopards, which were raised and trained to live in the wild by specialists from the Reintroduction Center in Sochi. As scientists explained, the animals will become the founders of a new population of a species that was once practically extinct in the Russian Federation.
This is truly meaningful historical event, for the first time in more than half a century, the Central Asian leopard has actually returned to the Caucasus.
Let us recall that the Sochi Center for Breeding and Rehabilitation of the Central Asian Leopard was opened in 2009 on the initiative of the President of the Russian Federation. To restore the population of animals included in the Red Book, five leopards were brought here from Iran and Portugal. They were all born in Sochi Center, built back in 2009. Here the predators underwent special training for independent life.
North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis)
From the name it is clear that the habitat of this subspecies is northern China, where about 1000-1200 individuals live.
The leopard's spots are more reminiscent of the jaguar's, and its fur is one of the longest of all leopard subspecies.
Far Eastern leopard (Panther pardus orientalis)
This the rarest subspecies of leopard. There are about 50-60 individuals left in the wild. The main part lives in Russia in the Land of the Leopard Nature Reserve.
In size, it is average among leopards and is the northernmost subspecies of leopard. Due to this, it has the longest and thickest fur of all subspecies.
The rarest, most elusive and mysterious predator on the planet. Its numbers are so small that the probability of encountering it in the wild can be equated to the chance of encountering Bigfoot or space aliens.
Indochinese leopard (Panther pardus delacouri)
This is a subspecies found in southern China. Last year, scientists calculated their approximate number and found that there were no more than 1,000 individuals left.
Javan leopard (Panther pardus melas)
It lives on the Indonesian island of Java and is on the verge of extinction. Today the population does not exceed 250 adult individuals.
The species is able to thrive in various ecological niches from mountainous areas to tropical forests, which was recorded by scientists in the 1990s. The species is threatened by a reduction in food supply and habitat due to deforestation and agricultural use of new lands, as well as conflicts with local residents. Java is one of the world's most populous islands, home to 59% of Indonesia's population and a population density higher than that of other island nations. 90% of the vegetation on Java has already been destroyed, and primary forests are preserved only in mountainous areas, so there is less and less space for leopards on the island.
Ceylon leopard (Panther pardus kotiya)
Lives only on the island of Sri Lanka. Presumably there are no more than 800 individuals left.
On African continent diverse fauna. One of its most beautiful predators is the African leopard. It is smaller in size than a lion, but is a more agile and swift animal.
Habitat
The African leopard, whose photos amaze with its beauty and grandeur, is the most common subspecies of wild cats. This animal is found throughout the continent, with the exception of the Sahara and arid Namibia. A small number of leopards live in Morocco, Egypt, and Somalia. The predator is found in Niger, Sudan, and Kenya. Small populations live in southeastern Algeria, eastern Nigeria and the Cape Province.
Habitat
The African leopard prefers humid and rugged tropics, savannas and semi-deserts. Also lives in mountainous area, where there are gorges overgrown with bushes and convenient crevices. Wherever leopards live, there is a mandatory condition - there must be at least a small body of water nearby. Predators do not like to swim, but they often hunt near a watering hole, where the prey comes on its own.
African leopard: description of appearance
Habitat greatly influences the size, color and weight of leopards. Forest predators much smaller and lighter than their “mountain” counterparts. Their color is distinguished by bright and rich tones. The Somalian predator is considered the smallest. All leopards have common features appearance.
Predators have highly developed muscles, an elongated body, slightly flattened laterally. Its length, including its tail, reaches 2.5 meters. The height of the predator at the withers is from 50 to 70 cm in males and no more than 45 cm in the opposite sex. The weight of an adult male individual is no more than 60 kilograms, for a female - up to 40 kg.
Leopards have a massive head, with powerful jaw, filled with sharp and strong fangs. On the muzzle there are 10-centimeter mustaches, white and black. The eyes are small, with round pupils. The ears are small, curved at the ends. The paws are quite powerful, the feet are wide with retractable claws.
The coat is short and coarse, lying close to the body. Color varies from sandy yellow to reddish red. There are also completely black leopards. In color variations, tones are more saturated on the upper body (head, back, neck). The belly and inner parts of the limbs are white.
The fur has a clear pattern in the form of ring-shaped and solid black spots. Each individual has an individual pattern. The neck and muzzle are decorated with smaller black spots. The back of the ears are the same color. The tail is also spotted.
Lifestyle
The African leopard has an active character, but it is a solitary animal. The predator does not form flocks and leads an isolated lifestyle, mostly nocturnal. The leopard runs well, reaching speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour. Always marks his territory. Communicates with relatives by growling and roaring. In order to communicate its presence, the predator coughs hoarsely. After saturation, it produces purring sounds.
While tracking prey, it moves very quietly, slowly, clinging to the ground. Leopards can jump up to three meters in height and up to 6 m in length. They have remarkable hearing and vision. Predators do not drink a lot of water, as they get most of the liquid from their prey.
Nutrition
The African leopard eats quite a varied diet. Its menu includes both beetles and giraffes. The predator tries to kill the ungulates, which weigh about 20-80 kilograms. When a large individual is caught, the leopard feeds on it for two weeks. The predator is least successful at hunting giraffes and zebras. IN as a last resort it can feed on carrion.
The leopard drags its caught prey up a tree, often to a height of up to six meters. Moreover, the weight of the carcass is often over 100 kilograms. Leopards track their victims, then attack with lightning speed from cover and strangle or bite through the neck. They try not to get into fights with other predators. In case of poor hunting, a hungry animal may attack livestock.
Reproduction
The African leopard only mates during the breeding season. As soon as the females are ready for the mating season, they emit inviting odors and make calling sounds. Despite the fact that leopards are solitary by nature, the territories of opposite sexes are nearby.
The predator immediately senses the readiness of the female, who can even show aggression towards the chosen one. It's a natural part marriage ritual. Sexual maturity in females occurs at 2 years, in the opposite sex - at 1.5 years. The offspring are carried for 3 to 3.5 months. Cubs are born blind, weighing from 280-500 g. Their length together with the tail at this moment is approximately 40 centimeters.
Leopards typically give birth to two to three cubs. They open their eyes after a week and a half. Mother's milk is fed up to 4 months. They begin independent life at 1.5 years.
Leopards live in freedom from 12 to 17 years. The main threat to predators is a person who hunts for beautiful fur. Therefore, the number of leopards is steadily declining. Habitat loss due to deforestation is also to blame.
Therefore, leopards are already listed in the Red Book. Are being created National parks and nature reserves where predators can live in peace. Some subspecies are under threat of complete extinction.
Leopards belong to the cat family, a subspecies of big cats from the panther genus. This is one of the most common felines after domestic cat. Although some of the subspecies have been practically destroyed and are listed in the International Red Book, there are quite prosperous subspecies, for example, the African leopard.
Description of the leopard
The leopard is a fairly large cat weighing from 30 to 75 kg. There are also larger individuals weighing up to 90 kg. Body length 90-180 cm without tail. Tail from 75 to 110 cm. Height at shoulders 80-90 cm.
The structure of the skull is massive, elongated, slightly low. The zygomatic arches are not widely spaced, the nasal bones taper at the back. IN oral cavity, like most cats, 30 teeth. Each jaw has 2 canines and 6 incisors. Leopards have a fairly long tongue and, like all cats, it is equipped with special tubercles that help separate meat from bones and wash themselves.
The leopard's body is elongated and flexible. The paws are strong and slender, with curved and very sharp claws, up to 55 mm long. The fur is thick, but not fluffy, and close-fitting. IN winter time in animals living in colder climates climatic conditions, the coat becomes longer and has a duller color. 
Color may vary depending on. Leopards living in northern regions range, have bright red, yellow-gray or light yellow coat color. The fur of African leopards is red-brown or yellowish.
In addition to the main color tone, the entire body of the leopard is covered with small black or brownish spots. Each leopard has an individual pattern and arrangement of spots. The spots can be either circular or solid. Asian leopards have larger spots, while African leopards have smaller spots. Among leopards there are melanists, which are often called black panthers. Although the skin of a black leopard is not completely black, spots always appear on it, as if a pattern. Most melanistic leopards live on the island of Java and the Malay Peninsula, but are also found to a lesser extent in India and Africa. Black individuals are often born in the same litter with spotted-colored cubs.
Lifestyle of leopards
Leopards lead a solitary lifestyle. Their typical day: sleep, hunting and leisurely walks around their property. mainly at night. Females who have kittens can go hunting at any time of the day.
Thanks to its soft pads, the leopard is able to sneak up on its prey so quietly that not a single leaf rustles, not a single branch crunches. As a rule, it hunts medium-sized animals, which it overtakes with a powerful jump (up to 5-6 m). 
Leopards adapt well to living in any terrain, be it mountains, tropical forests, plains, savannas or semi-deserts. The territory of one leopard can range from 10 to 400 km². Females and males may have the same territorial areas, but if a representative of the same sex enters the territory, a fierce fight inevitably breaks out between the rivals, sometimes with a fatal outcome.
Leopard breeding
Leopards do not have a specific breeding season; mating can occur at any time of the year. The female's pregnancy lasts from 93 to 103 days, then babies are born. Leopard cubs are born blind and only after 8-10 days do they open their eyes. Most often, 1-2 babies are born in one litter, less often 3. Of the entire litter, only one kitten often survives. 
The cubs spend the first three months in the den, and then leave it with their mother. From time to time, the mother changes the shelter of her kittens so that they are not discovered by predators. Leaving them in the next shelter, the mother goes hunting. Only after six months can kittens follow their mother everywhere. The mother raises her offspring for about two years. Young leopards at this age leave their nurse and become independent.
Young animals reach sexual maturity at approximately 2.5 years.
Population status and protection of leopards
Five subspecies of leopards are critically endangered. The main reason for the decline in the leopard population is changes natural environment habitat, decreasing food resources, and poaching.
Number Far Eastern leopard as of 2007 there were about 34 individuals. By the beginning of 2015, there were already approximately 57 of them.
Also, some of the subspecies are listed in the IUCN Red Book and the Red Book of Russia.
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