10 facts about leopards. Leopards are fierce, fast and ferocious animals. Leopards are one of the big 5 animals living in various parts of the world and can be seen in the wild in a number of protected areas in Africa, while on Africa safaris. Tanzania is one of the best Africa destination to see big cats including leopards, and what better way to see them than on game drives while on a Tanzania safari. Leopards are classified as Panthera paedus but unlike other cats leopards have relatively short legs and longer bodies with a large skull. Leopards are usually mistaken with jaguars. Both leopards and jaguars are however melanistic known as black panthers differentiating only in size.
Leopards are one of the most sought after animals by tourists who visit on not only Tanzania safaris but also Kenya safaris, Uganda tours and generally East Africa tours. In Uganda, leopards can be seen in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, lake Mburo, Murchison Falls and Semuliki National Park, which offer great animal sightings with Uganda safaris. Samburu National Park and Masai Mara National Reserve are the best places to see leopards in Kenya, while in Tanzania leopards can be seen several game reserves and national parks of Tanzania namely Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire National Park, and Lake Manyara National Park among others.
Below are some of the amazing 10 facts about leopards that you may find fun to know;
- Leopards can be found in various places around the world, usually Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia and China among other places. In Tanzania, leopards can be seen in Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater Tanzania, and Tarangire National Park among others.
- Most leopards are light coloured with dark spots on their fur. These spots are called rosettes because of their shape which is similar to roses.
- Leopards are fast that they can run at up to 58km per hour. Leopards can leap up to 6m forward through the air, that’s almost the length of three adults lying head to toe!
- Leopards are solitary animals of all the big five animals, usually seen moving and living alone. Leopards live solitary lives in their own territory, leaving scratches on trees, urine scents and poop to mark their territory and warn other leopards as well as other animals of their territory. Males and females will only cross territories only to mate.
- Leopards are skilled climbers seen resting up on tree branches in the vast savannah plains of Serengeti National Park and other protected reserves and national parks of Tanzania. leopards are quite strong too that they can carry their kill no matter how heavy it may be, up the trees so that pesky scavengers and other animals like hyenas do not disturb or steal their hard-earned meal.
- Also, leopards are nocturnal animals, in that they are most active in the night. During the day, leopards be literally hiding up on the tree branches that travelers doing day game drives in Tanzania are advised to always look up for an opportunity to spot leopards. Leopards mostly spend their day time resting up on tree branches camouflaged in trees or maybe hiding in shrubs. It is ion the night that they are out and about, that travellers who do very early morning game drives or night game drives in Tanzania can almost easily see them hunting their next meal.
- Female leopards give birth anytime of the year and when they do they usually do so to only two or three cubs. Mothers do stay with their cubs until they are about 2 years old that they can take care of themselves and hunt too.
- Leopards communicate amongst each other, through distinctive calls. Male leopards for example make their presence known to other leopards with a hoarse or raspy cough. Leopards also growl when angry and just like domestic cats they purr when happy and relaxed.
- Leopards are ambush predators. Leopards have been identified to be ambush predators in their hunting tactics just like other cats like lions and cheetahs as well as jaguars.
- Leopards are also not picky eaters that they have been known to eat just about anything in their carnivorous diets. Leopards eat reptiles, fish, and mid-sized animals like warthogs, zebras and antelopes among so many others.
Leopards are one of the most sought after big cats, and definitely one of the African big five animals much sought after by travellers who do visit on Tanzania safari tours. Leopards can be seen on various tourist activities in Tanzania say game drives, as well as night game drives in some of the top Tanzania safari destinations like Serengeti national Park among so many others. Looking to see leopards in the wild? Get in touch with us for an amazing Tanzania safari package taking you in prime locations from where you shall spot elusive leopards, among other animals in Tanzania, getting to see and experience the amazing 10 facts about leopards personally.
