LEOPARD Panthera pardus

Distribution:

These cats can be found all over Southern Africa excepting in the O.F.S. and in the built up areas around Transvaal and the Cape.

Diet:

They will take a wide variety of prey from small to medium antelope, to beetles, fish and scavenging.

Habitat:

They are usually found in riverine bush but do have a very wide tolerance level for many different habitats.

Habits:

They are normally solitary and are only found with other Leopard if they are mating, fighting or have got cubs.

They are probably the most nocturnal of the predators but have been known to make kills in the middle of the day.

Both males and females are territorial.

They are probably the most powerful of the predators from a power to weight ratio.

They are one of the only cats to hoist their kills into trees.

They have incredible camouflauge and are known for their tireless patience.

Breeding:

A female will give birth to a litter of two cubs on average.

The female will move her cubs every three days or so as a form of protection.

Predators:

Mothers are wary of large birds of prey.

Lion, Hyena and Wild Dogs will kill cubs if they find them.

Man kills these animals for their skin but this does seem to be having less and less impact on the population.