Leopards

Description

	These cats have an long and muscular body.
	Their paws are wide and their ears are short.
	In tropical regions their coats tend to be shorter and smooth and shiny, whereas in colder climates their fur is longer and denser.
	The coloration varies from the color of straw to grayish and even chestnut.
	The backs of the ears are black except for a spot either located at the center or near the tips.
	These appear to other animals as eyes.
	The throat, chest, belly, and the insides of the limbs are white in color.
	The rest of the head, throat, chest, and limbs all have small black spots.
	The belly has bigger black spots, almost like an irregular shape .
	In Africa, leopards living in hilly areas tend to be larger than those living in lowlands.
	There is an inclination to (black coloration) in this species.
	This characteristic is more frequent in crowded forested areas where being darker benefits in remaining unseen as compared to open areas.
	Spotted or black, leopards' coloration is extremely effective.
	Scientists have been unable to spot these cats just a few yards away even knowing that they were present.
	Reproduction

§ Males may follow a female.

§ Eventually fighting for reproductive rights can take place.

§ Depending on the region, leopards may mate all year round in India and Africa or seasonally during January to February Manchuria and Siberia.

§ The cycle lasts about 46 days and the female usually is in heat for 6-7 days.

§ Cubs are usually born in a litter of 2-3,

§ Infant mortality is high and mothers are not commonly seen with more than 1-2 cubs.

§ Cubs open their eyes after a period of 10 days.

§ The fur of the young is likely to be longer and thicker than that of adults.

§ Their is also more gray in color with less defined spots.

§ Around 3 months the infants begin to follow the mother out on hunting

§ At one year of age leopard young can probably defend for themselves,

§ but they remain with the mother for 18-24 months

§ behavior

	Leopards are famous for their ability to go undetected.
	They may live practically among humans and still be tough to spot.
	They are graceful and stealthy.
	Amongst the big cats they are probably the most accomplished follower.
	They are good, active climbers and can descend from a tree headfirst.
	Along with climbing, they are strong swimmers but not as fond of water as tigers; for example, leopards will not lay in water.
	They are mainly nocturnal but can be seen at any time of day and will even hunt during daytime on overcast days.
	In regions where they are hunted, nocturnal behavior is more common.
	These cats are solitary ( lonely), avoiding one another.
	However, 3 or 4 are sometimes seen together.
	Hearing and eyesight are the strongest of these cats.
	Senses and are extremely serious. The sense of smell is relied upon as well, but not for hunting.
	When making a threat, leopards stretch their backs, depress their ribcages between their shoulder blades so they stick out, and lower their heads (similar to domestic cats like everyday pet cats.
	During the day they may lie in bush, on rocks, or in a tree with their tails hanging below the treetops.
	Food habits
	The diet of these big cats is surprisingly varied.
	Prey for this species are wildebeest, impalas, reed-bucks, Thomson's gazelles, jackals, baboons, antelopes and storks.
	These are the most common food sources with Thomson's gazelles and reed-bucks making up the majority.
	However, other prey are included in leopards' diet.
	At times they seem to show a preference for canines, even attempting in the past to grab dogs right from the feet of their masters.
	They will eat fish and domestic stock such as goats.
	Droppings in Kilimanjaro were studied and revealed that leopards eat small rodents as well.
	They are capable of killing apes.
	They will even eat flesh, scavenging tiger kills.
	These cats are capable of sneaking right up next to the prey before being spotted, almost appearing from nowhere.
	Bite marks occur on the nape of the neck and the throat.
	The bite on the back of the neck often occurs when animals are attacked from behind.
	The marks on the throat indicate crushing another animal .
	These big cats are capable of carrying carcasses bigger than themselves and dragging them up trees to avoid losing prey to other carnivores.
	They may also store kills in trees for later use

Snow Leopard at the Los Angeles Zoo in California

Clouded Leopard at the San Diego zoo , in California

Black Leopard at the San Diego zoo , in California