A leopard is a species of carnivorous mammal in the feline group. Also known as a panther or leopard, the leopard is a subfamily of big cats and is considered a member of the panthera family. In the 20th century, the leopard was listed in virtually every protected species on the planet, including the Russian Federation's Red Data Book.
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Appearance
A leopard is a big cat that second in size only to the lion and the tigerThe leopard's body is muscular and elongated, yet light and flexible. The animal's tail is more than half the length of its body. Its legs are small but very strong. Its paws are massive and wide, and its head is rounded and not particularly large. The crown of the leopard's head is adorned with short, rounded ears set wide apart.
This animal has small eyes with round pupils. It lacks a mane, and its whiskers, white or black, reach up to 120 mm. Snow leopard weight varies depending on its geographic range. Animals that inhabit forested areas are smaller and lighter than their counterparts in open areas. Males are typically a quarter larger than females. The length of an adult snow leopard can range from 85 to 200 cm. The tail can reach 55 to 80 cm.
Features of the leopard's color:
The adult's fur is sparse and short (even in winter), distributed evenly over the entire body. The yellow and black hairs vary in thickness and length. Typically, the yellow hairs are longer and finer than the black hairs.- The fur in winter is duller than in summer.
- The leopard's paws and belly are typically covered in solid dark spots. These spots are larger on the outer side of the legs, while the spots become smaller towards the bottom—the leopard's feet and hands are marked only with small dark specks.
- The animal's tail is covered with large solid and ring-shaped spots - on the top and a little on the bottom.
The adult's fur is sparse and short (even in winter), distributed evenly over the entire body. The yellow and black hairs vary in thickness and length. Typically, the yellow hairs are longer and finer than the black hairs.Habitat and distribution of snow leopards
There are far more places where snow leopards live than places where any other cat species live. Leopards are widespread in forest-steppe and forest areas, as well as in the mountainous and savannah regions of the African continent. This feline species also inhabits southern Asia. Leopards once inhabited the Transcaucasus, most of Africa, India, and Pakistan. Their habitat also extended to Sri Lanka, Zanzibar, and the island of Java.
Today, in many of their historical habitats, this species is either extremely rare or completely extinct. These include Zanzibar, the Sinai Peninsula, and Morocco. Elsewhere, the leopard's range is structured, divided into distinct populations located at significant distances from each other. In Russia, leopards may inhabit Primorsky Krai. Encounters are also possible in the Caucasus.
Speaking of African leopards, it's worth noting that they primarily prefer to live in jungles located in the central part of the continent, as well as in its mountainous regions. These predators are also found in the semi-deserts and savannas of Morocco. Leopards have a strong need for water, so they avoid arid areas, avoiding areas of Namibia and the Sahara.
In Asia, animals tend to be live on the Amur in coniferous forests, as well as in subtropical and tropical forests found on the plains and mountain slopes of India and South Asia. Leopard habitats in Asia extend all the way to the Arabian Peninsula. These animals are absent only from the arid deserts of Asia, as well as from Borneo and Sumatra. However, archaeological finds confirm that leopards once inhabited Sumatra as well. Today, leopards' range encompasses parts of Afghanistan, Kashmir, and the Caucasus, including the Himalayas.
The habitat of leopards in the Caucasus
In the Caucasus, the snow leopard population declined significantly at the end of the 20th century, becoming negligible. It's safe to say that these predators are on the brink of extinction in this region. In the Caucasus, leopards' habitat is primarily in the forested foothills.
The range begins in the western areas, near Tuapse, and extends to the northern territories. It then extends eastward to the end of the Caucasus Mountains. As for the foothills, snow leopards inhabit their forests and are sometimes encountered in the upper reaches, though less frequently above the mountain range. The range of these animals at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains descends all the way to the mountain slopes, and in Transcaucasia, their habitat encompasses the foothills of the Lesser Caucasus, including the area between the Kura and Rioni rivers.
The habitats of animals in Central Asia are represented in Western Asia - in Afghanistan and IranThis area is conditionally divided into several parts.
- In Turkmenistan, the main part of the range is Kopetdag.
- In Central Asia, the range is located on the right bank of the Panj and Amu Darya rivers.
- The Far Eastern range extends across the Korean Peninsula and northeastern China. This part of the range is located in Transbaikalia, the Amur Region, and the Ussuri region.
Social and territorial behavior
Snow leopards are solitary predators that are primarily nocturnal. These animals can easily adapt to any habitat, living in deserts, mountains, and forests. Their home ranges can range from 10 to 450 square kilometers, depending on food availability and terrain. Despite their small stature, leopards are successful hunters of larger animals—sometimes their prey can weigh up to 800 kg.
Leopards have a unique ability to climb trees. These animals can climb them both for rest and to hunt monkeys. However, they primarily hunt on the ground. Typically, they are predators. quietly and carefully approaches the prey Within one leap, the predator then pounces and strangles its prey. If the leap is unsuccessful, the predator does not pursue. In some cases, the animal may deliberately approach its prey noisily and then lie low. In this case, the prey, unsure of where to expect the attack, is confused. Often, the predator will lift the remains of its kill into a tree to protect them from hyenas and jackals.
Nutrition of leopards
Typically, the leopard's diet consists of ungulates—roe deer, deer, and antelope. Occasionally, it may feed on monkeys and rodents, as well as snakes and birds. It may also hunt horses and sheep. Dogs, as well as wolves and foxes, are often preyed upon by leopards. When food is scarce, the animal sometimes steals prey from its own kind. As for humans, Predators rarely attack people To do this, the leopard must be disturbed. But it will certainly attack if wounded—in which case the consequences will be very dire.
Reproduction of leopards
Leopards typically breed year-round in the southern regions of their range. Populations in the Far East breed most often in late autumn. Breeding is typically accompanied by roaring and fighting on the part of the male, which is natural for cats. At other times, leopards are quite silent, which is not the case with tigers or lions.
A female's pregnancy typically lasts three months. This results in the birth of one or two (rarely three) cubs. These animals most often make their shelters in rock crevices or caves. They also serve as dens. there may be pits, created by uprooted trees. Predators choose a quiet and inconspicuous area for this purpose. Leopard cubs develop faster than tiger cubs—usually, they reach sexual maturity within two years.
Snow leopard hunting
This predator has always been a significant trophy for hunters. Leopards were hunted only within their natural habitat. Hunters refer to the "Big Five," which includes animals such as:
- African leopard;
- rhinoceros;
- elephant;
- African buffalo;
- lion.
African leopard;Each of the listed animals is considered for the hunter a luxurious trophy and valuable booty.
If we consider snow leopard hunting in the 19th and 20th centuries, it can be said that in parts of Asia and Africa, this type of hunting was uncontrolled and completely indiscriminate. This was the primary cause of the extinction of this rare predator.
In some regions of Asia, poachers still hunt leopards, but this type of hunting is prohibited by law throughout the country. Unfortunately, demand for the valuable and beautiful skins of these animals remains high on the black market, and their organs are often used in traditional medicine. Many African countries have a quota for leopard hunting, due to their large population in these areas. If you're interested in finding out how much a leopard skin costs, The price for a skin can reach up to $15,000.
The classic method for hunting this animal involves using a carcass of interest to the snow leopard (usually a roe deer or monkey) as bait. Only fresh carcasses are used for this purpose, as any feline species dislikes the rotten smell.
Poachers typically select a solitary spot where the predator frequently frequents. The bait is attached to the bottom of a tree so that it is clearly visible against the sky. The animal approaches the scent of its prey after dark, emitting a distinctive roar. This roar resembles a cough or the sound of a saw—a sound unmistakable to the hunter. the hunter needs to act quickly — the shot is taken at close range. If the animal is wounded, it is very aggressive and dangerous to the hunter, trying to attack instead of fleeing. Often, the leopard only pretends to be killed—just approach, and the animal will rush the hunter.
In the late 19th century, the fashion for leopard skins reached its peak, making this predator its prey. Many celebrities at the time loved to show off leopard skin jackets and even posed for magazine covers wearing them. All this significantly reduced the world's leopard population. Over the course of seven years in the 1950s, the European fur market added more than 300,000 leopard skins.
