Leopard Facts

One of the most successful large predators, leopards possess great cunning. They are smart hunters and intelligent animals overall.

Following are some interesting facts about leopards.

1. Leopards are the most successful and cunning among big cats. They put their intelligence to good use in their hunting activities.

2. Like most cats, leopards are solitary creatures that hunt mainly at night. They rest during day usually in trees and come down at night time.

3. Leopards have a very beautiful coat with a tawny background and rosettes, that aids them in camouflage. Their coat is distinct from that of Cheetah and Jaguar.

4. The Snow Leopard is a most remarkable cat that operates in extremely difficult terrain and climate conditions at the top of the world - the Himalayas.

5. The Clouded Leopard has the longest canines amongst cat species.

6. The Amur Leopard is one of the most endangered animals in the world.

7. The Bornean Clouded Leopard is one of the most significant newly discovered mammalian species.

8. Leopards are masters of stealth and extremely difficult to trace and locate in the wild.

9. Pound for pound, leopards are the strongest among big cats.

10. Leopards are the best tree climbers amongst big cats and are capable of taking prey that is twice their body weight, up a tree.

11. Melanistic variants among leopards - black leopards - are known as panthers.

12. Leopards are territorial animals and regularly mark and defend their domain against intruders.

13. Man-eating leopards always operate at night since unlike tigers they never lose their fear of man and only enter human territories in the cover of darkness. This makes them very difficult to counteract.