LEOPARDS

The leopard is an amazing animal. It can run 60 kilometerin the savana, even faster than a car.It also has beautiful rosettes and black spots.

Phisycal Characteristics
Leopard is the smallest of the four “big cats” in the genus phantera: the other are the tiger, lion and jaguar. Altough it is the smallest, the leopard is still able to take large prey using it’s strong jaw. A leopard often mistaken for a cheetah or a jaguar. The leopard has rosettes(rose-like markings) rather than cheetah’s simple spots, but they lack internal spots, unlike the jaguar.

Diet Hunting
Leopards are opportunistic hunters. Their diet consists mostly of ungulates and monkeys, but rodents, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish are also eaten. In Africa, mid-sized antelopes provide a majority of the leopard's prey, especially impala and Thomson's gazelles. In Asia the leopard preys on deer such as chitals and muntjacs as well as various Asian antelopes and Ibex. The leopard stalks its prey silently and at the last minute pounces on its prey and strangles its throat with a quick bite.

Reproduction and life cycle
A female leopard usually pregnant for 90-105 days. Cubs are usually born in a litter of 2–4, but infant mortality is high and usually no more than 1–2 cubs survive beyond their infancy. The pregnant females find a cave, crevice among boulders, hollow tree, or thicket to give birth and make a den. Cubs open their eyes after a period of 10 days. After one year of age, leopard young can probably fend for themselves, but they remain with the mother for 18–24 months.

After you finished read this article, you will know what is a leopard. In fact, leopard is an animal that is fun to be studied. You can find leopard in Southern Asia and Africa.