If you are lucky at some time in your life you will be able to see one of the most fantastic of the world’s big cats. They live in zoos all over the world but if you travel in Africa or India you may be lucky enough to see one in the wild. These cats are fast, athletic and very strong. The name for a group of leopards is a leap, but it isn’t used often because this spotted big cat likes to live alone. 

The leopard is most famous for its beautiful spotted coat. It is covered in spots called rosettes. Depending on where the leopard lives, its spots can be round or square. There are legends that say a hunter who was friends with a leopard painted the spots on the animal to help him hide. When an animal is colored to blend in with its surrounding this is called camouflage. Leopards have a type of camouflage called disruptive coloration. Leopards live in trees most of the time and the spots blend in with the splotchy shadows made by the leaves and branches. Baby leopards are born without spots and the mother has to move them from place to place to keep them safe. Humans illegally hunt these cats because their fur is beautiful and soft. 

Of all of the big cats, the leopard is the best climber. There are a lot of reasons they can climb trees better than other big cats. First is their size. Leopards are the smallest of the big cats. They have retractable claws that help them keep their grip. They have special muscles in their shoulders that help them pull themselves up and their legs are very powerful. Climbing trees not only keeps the animal safe from other predators but keeps its food safe. Leopards will carry its food up into trees to keep it safe from thieves. They may keep their kill up in the tree as long as a week. Something really crazy about this is leopards are so strong, they can carry an animal that weighs more than they do up a tree.

Leopards are opportunistic carnivores. They are definitely not picky eaters, and will eat just about anything they can catch. Their ability to eat just about anything has helped them keep their populations stronger than other big cats who have limited diets. When large prey is scarce they will eat bugs, mice and birds to survive. They prefer larger prey like antelope and primates but will settle for a porcupine if they are hungry enough. Leopards are very good swimmers and if there is nothing on land to be eaten, they will often catch a fish or two for dinner. Leopard cubs start learning to hunt by the time they are three months old.

The biggest threat to the leopard population is humans. Leopards and humans sometimes share habitats. Although leopards do not like conflict and will usually back down, there are some times when a human will be killed. As we encroach on the leopard’s territory, its food supply moves away and they turn to eating domesticated pets and livestock. The cat will be hunted and killed for this. Leopards are not endangered in most places where they live, but the species is threatened, meaning the population is decreasing.