| The silent killer, the night stalker, the versatile hunter... | | | | in staying hidden. The pattern of their body coat is in |
| and many other names have been used to describe | | | | rosettes and each leopard has its own specific print |
| this cat. Smallest of the four great cats (lion, Jaguar, | | | | that matches no other. The coat varies in color from |
| Tiger) and at close range almost looks like a Jaguar. | | | | light tawny to brown-yellowish. The black spots help |
| In the savannahs of Kenya, this cat has been | | | | them to stay hidden under thickets. |
| confused with the cheetah by first time visitors. At a | | | | They can run up to 40 miles an hour for short |
| second glance you miss the tear marks of the | | | | distances. The leopard is a good swimmer and in |
| cheetah. | | | | addition to that can leap 20 feet high. The horizontal |
| The leopard has been associated with darkness and | | | | jump can be up to 10 feet. Despite this prowess, |
| many myths exist in the traditional African society. | | | | they primarily depend on outwitting the prey, hence |
| This has been due to fact that the leopard makes | | | | the title 'master of deception'. |
| about 90 % of their kills silently during the night. The | | | | They can easily adapt to most environments as long |
| kill is then dragged and hoisted on to a tree for later | | | | as there is food availability. In Kenya and Tanzania, |
| feeding. These minutes before raising the kill up the | | | | due to availability of huge thickets, their preference is |
| tree are extremely crucial for it is the time that most | | | | in the bushes. These provide all the food supply and |
| kills are lost to hyenas and lions attracted by the | | | | keep them hidden. In many occasions their presence |
| smell of blood. They have quite a varied diet ranging | | | | is noticed through carcasses on tree tops but the |
| from animals double their size to smaller antelopes, | | | | leopard is nowhere to be seen. Their tail is often |
| birds and crawling beetles. Their diet also depends on | | | | what gives them away. When they rest on the trees |
| what is available in their range. | | | | their bodies are usually camouflaged but the dangling |
| Usually this will include wildebeest calves, zebra | | | | tail sells them off. In the nights they are usually heard |
| fawns, gazelles, impalas, rodents among others. They | | | | and recognized through their 'sawing-like' sound. |
| are known to hunt domestic animals including calves, | | | | In addition to their being silent killers, they are |
| sheep and goats in areas where they inhabit close to | | | | generally solitary cats. The only relationships noticed |
| human settlements. | | | | are the short-lived mating period and a female with |
| The physical build up of the leopard is amazingly | | | | her cubs. They produce between 2-4 cubs after a |
| strong. It is said that their muscles are 7 times | | | | gestation period of between 80-100 days. Most of |
| stronger than man's muscle, pound for pound. This | | | | the times, it is only 1-2 cubs that survive. Lions and |
| explains their capability to lift carcasses more than | | | | hyenas kill many of their cubs and because of that |
| twice their body up the trees. It an advantage that | | | | the mother has to move them quite often to avoid |
| the leopard enjoys in that after the kill is up the tree | | | | attracting too much attention. |
| it is safe from its enemies, usually the lions and | | | | After 22-24 months the cubs leave their mother and |
| hyenas. In a couple of times the lions have tried to | | | | start their solitary life. |
| get up the tree and get the kill. Unfortunately, lions in | | | | In most parts of Kenya, early morning hours are best |
| Kenya are not good tree climbers, unlike their | | | | time for looking out for them and late afternoon |
| partners in Lake Manyara, Tanzania. What's more, the | | | | hours. These are the hours when the temperatures |
| kill can be eaten for the next few days depending on | | | | are low as they are more active like most of the big |
| the size. | | | | cats. |
| Spotting such caches during safaris is almost a | | | | There exists an-ever ending fight between the olive |
| guarantee that you can view the leopard at least one | | | | baboons in some parts of Kenya. The baboons are |
| more time. | | | | heard screaming during the nights and it has been |
| Their claws are retractable and extremely sharp. The | | | | proofed beyond doubt that one of the reasons is |
| scratching of the backs of trees cleans the outer | | | | the presence of the leopard. The leopards in Kenya |
| keratin shell keeping them sharp all the time. This is | | | | do attack the baboons and in turn the baboons |
| how they are able to catch their prey before the | | | | attack them. In any case the baboons out number |
| killer bite. Usually the scratches inflicted this way are | | | | the leopard by far and relies on group protection. But |
| very deep and lethal. | | | | the leopards have had their successes with having a |
| This master of deception has body markings that aid | | | | baboon for a meal. |