Leopard

The Leopard is among the big cats showing great adaptability to various kinds of prey as well as to various types of habitats appearing throughout Africa and Asia from lowlands to the mountain tops and from desert to the jungle.

The significant distinguishing sign is its spotted coat, though there appears also melanistic form, even in those at the first sight black individuals the pattern remains observable on closer look.

The Leopards use their coat pattern as a camouflage to take their prey by surprise. They do hide the larger kills to come back to feed on the carcass later. If there are other predators abundant, they are widely choosing trees as hiding spots using their great ability to climb.

Adult Leopards live and hunt solitary inhabiting large areas and communicating through scent marks mostly. The youngs follow their mother also after weaning for up to two years to become independent in hunting.

Leopards in nature are threatened by fragmentation of their natural habitat, conflicts with local people and illegal hunting.