Leopard Facts
Leopard Facts

40 Amazing Leopard Facts

James Israelsen
By James Israelsen, Associate Writer
Published May 16, 2022
  • Due to variations in spot patterns, scientists consider there to be nine different sub-species of leopard.[9]
  • The term "black panther" refers to both panthers and leopards that have melanism, a condition causing their coats to be completely black.[1]
  • Leopards that live in the wild are only found in regions of Africa and Asia.[1]
  • Black leopards make up around eleven percent of all leopards.[1]
  • The philosopher Aristotle wrote that in all animal species, the male is more aggressive than the female—with the exception of bears and leopards.[8]
  • Snow leopards are currently so rare that photographers in Asia must hike to elevations of over 12,000 feet, in the dead of winter, to catch even a glimpse of them.[8]
  • The average adult leopard's tail is between 3.5 and 4.5 feet long (1 to 1.3 meters).[6]
  • Black leopards appear to be a single shade of black; in reality, their coats exhibit the same rosette-spot pattern as regular leopards, but in two shades of black.[1]
  • Leopards are so comfortable lounging in the branches of trees that they sometimes take their kills up with them to keep them safe from other predators.[6]
  • Snow Leopard Fact
    The beautiful snow leopard fits perfectly in its mountainous environment
  • Snow leopards live in the mountains of central Asia.[4]
  • Leopards sometimes hunt from the branches of trees; their spots blend in with the leaves, keeping them camoflauged from their prey until they are ready to pounce.[6]
  • Leopards have been known to attack dogs and humans when there are settlements near their habitat.[6]
  • Leopards mostly hunt at night and usually hunt alone.[6]
  • Antelope, deer, and pigs are common leopard prey.[6]
  • Natural swimmers, leopards sometimes hunt fish or crabs.[6]
  • Most leopard pregnancies result in twin cubs.[6]
  • Leopards are endangered, especially those that live outside of Africa.[6]
  • Newborn leopard cubs are gray, with very faint spots.[6]
  • Leopard mothers hide their cubs as they roam, in order to keep them safe from predators.[7]
  • Leopard mothers raise their cubs until they are two years old.[6]
  • Leopard cubs
    Like many mammals, mother leopards are devoted to their cubs

  • The spots on a leopard's coat are called rosettes because of their similarity to the shape of a rose.[6]
  • Although they prefer other mammals like gazelles, leopards will also eat insects, reptiles, and birds if they have to.[5]
  • Adult leopards weigh between 66 and 176 pounds (30 to 80 kgs).[6]
  • Leopards are close relatives of jaguars, lions, and tigers.[6]
  • A leopard's roar sounds like a saw cutting a piece of wood.[7]
  • Although leopards lead solitary lives, they sometimes reunite with their mothers for short periods of time.[7]
  • Leopard Camoflauge
    Like most cats, leopards are stealthy killers
  • Scientists have nicknamed the Amur leopard the "Silent Killer" because they are so effective at stalking their prey.[3]
  • Due to poaching and the loss of their natural habitat, Amur leopards are one of the rarest species of wild cat in the world.[3]
  • The Land of the Leopard National Park, established in 2012, is a 647,000-acre leopard refuge that runs along the Chinese and Russian border in Asia.[3]
  • Of the five types of big cats—lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and jaguars—leopards are the the shortest, though they are heavier than cheetahs.[5]
  • Each leopard's spot pattern is unique, like a human fingerprint, allowing individual leopards to be identified.[5]
  • Leopards are capable of adapting to a variety of habitats, so they can be found in savannahs, rain forests, mountains, and deserts.[5]
  • Part of the reason for the reduction in leopard populations is human encroachment upon their habitats, including kills by farmers protecting their livestock.[5]
  • Leopards are sometimes poached for use in African and Asian medicines and religious rituals.[5]
  • Leopards can carry the carcass of a kill that weighs more than themselves.[2]
  • Before giving birth, snow leopard mothers must search among their mountain habitats to find a den that will protect their cubs from the ice and snow.[4]
  • Before the animal now known as the leopard was discovered, cheetahs were known by the name of leopard.[9]
  • Between 1750 and 2019, leopards around the world lost 75% of their former territory.[9]
  • In Africa, baboons are common predators of leopards.[1]
  • With more than 700,000 alive today, African leopards are currently the most populous subspecies of leopard in the world.[9]
  • INFOGRAPHIC
    Leopard Infographic Thumbnail
References

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