 |
 |
|
Leopard Leopard Range: Africa, Asia from the Middle East to Siberia and Southeast Asia Size: 65-180 lb
Gestation: 90-105 days
Offspring: 2-4 cubs
Lifespan: 12-15 years Food: A wide range of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibeans, and invertabrates
Predators: Tigers, pythons (young leopards)
Cool Fact: The leopard has the largest geographic range of any big cat. It is one of the most adaptable mammals, found in a wide variety of habitats. The coat spots provide excellent camouflage, especially in trees. From grasslands to dense jungles and mountains, leopards prey on everything from large antelopes to smaller mammals to birds and even fish. Solitary hunters, leopards hunt or ambush their prey mainly at night. Like all cats, long sharp canines are used to grab, hold and puncture their prey. Among the most arboreal of all cats, leopards drag their kills up trees, out of reach of lions, hyenas and wild dogs. For days, the leopard has an easy supply of energy. Once thought to be a separate species, all black leopards, sometimes called panthers, are a black-coated form of the leopard. Black panthers occur in leopards and jaguars; and sometimes black and spotted cubs are born in the same litter. If you see a black panther in the zoo, look closely; often you can still see their spots beneath the black coat. Conservation Status: Leopards have disappeared from most of their original range and are in danger of disappearing from their remaining habitats. |
|