Leopard

The leopard is a big cat that lives across parts of Africa and Asia. It is one of the five big cats in the genus Panthera, along with the lion, tiger, jaguar, and snow leopard. An adult leopard usually weighs 60 to 160 pounds and stands about two feet tall at the shoulder. Males are bigger than females. Leopards are known for their golden fur covered in dark ring-shaped spots called rosettes.

Leopards live in more places than almost any other big cat. You can find them in thick rainforests, dry grasslands, rocky mountains, and even on the edges of cities. Some leopards live in the snowy forests of eastern Russia. Others hunt in the hot deserts of the Middle East. This ability to live in many different habitats is one reason leopards have survived while other big cats have struggled.

A leopard hunts alone, usually at night. Its spotted coat breaks up its shape in tall grass and dappled shade, making it very hard to see. Leopards are patient stalkers. They creep close to their target, then rush and pounce in the last few feet. They eat almost any animal they can catch, including antelope, monkeys, birds, fish, and even porcupines.

One leopard habit is famous: they carry their meals into trees. A leopard can haul an animal twice its own weight straight up a tree trunk. Up in the branches, the food is safe from lions and hyenas, who would steal it if they could. Leopards are strong climbers and often rest during the day draped over a high limb.

Some leopards are born with fur so dark that their spots are hard to see. People often call these cats black panthers, but they are not a separate species. They are regular leopards (or jaguars) with a condition called melanism, which produces extra dark pigment. If you shine a bright light on a black panther, you can still see the rosettes underneath.

Leopards face serious threats from humans. People hunt them for their beautiful fur, and farmers sometimes kill them for attacking livestock. Forests are also being cut down for farms and cities, which shrinks the places leopards can live. The African leopard is listed as vulnerable. The Amur leopard, which lives in Russia and China, is one of the rarest cats on Earth, with only about 100 left in the wild.

Leopards have shown up in human stories for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians pictured priests wearing leopard skins. In West African folktales, the leopard is clever and proud. The spotted cat still stands for speed, stealth, and power in cultures around the world.