Stealthy, agile and a devastating hunter, the most widely distributed of Africa’s big cats is also the most seldom seen. Elusive and solitary it is only at certain private game reserves in the Greater Kruger National Park where Leopards are regularly seen and habituated to the presence of man. But wherever you might be on safari you can count yourself lucky if you get to see one of these magnificent animals in the wild.
Their scientific name is Panthera pardus and they are a member of the same family of big cats as the lion, tiger and jaguar. While the leopard is found in Indonesia, Pakistan and even in China it is in sub-Saharan Africa where the largest populations remain, having been hunted and pressured out of most of its once extensive range. A highly successful predator the Leopards ability to constantly change its hunting patterns and adapt according to its habitat and prey behavior is one reason why it is still found over such a large and diverse area. The leopard is a cunning, successful hunter with a incredibly varied prey catalogue; from strong-scented carrion, fish, reptiles and birds to mammals such as rodents, hares, hyraxes, warthogs, antelopes, monkeys and baboons.
Did You Know? The Leopard of Rudraprayag was a male man-eating leopard, claimed to have killed over 250 people. It was eventually killed by famed big cat hunter and author Jim Corbett.
Able to run at speeds approaching 58 kilometres per hour and with the strength and ability to climb trees even while carrying dead weight equal or greater than its own body-weight, the Leopard is a marvel of nature. Largely nocturnal your best chance of seeing a leopard is often on a night game drive, but unfortunately night game drives aren’t on offer at every lodge, ask your Rhino Africa consultant for more information about where to go in search of this stealthy predator. The private game reserves of the Sabi Sands; such as Leopard Hills, Londolozi and Mala Mala are traditionally the best option. At Londolozi they have been tracking and viewing the same extended family of leopards since 1979!
A leopard can not change his spots
~ Proverb
