The Fair-Haired, Spotted Animal - Leopard!!

Leopards are big cats known for their fair-haired, spotted bodies and charming, yet ferociously wild with hunting techniques. leopards are thought of as an African animal though they live all over the world, that is to say, Northeast Africa, Central Asia, India China the Arabian Peninsula, southwestern and Eastern Turkey. Though their reach is vast, their numbers are declining because of numerous factors.

There are a lot of factual interesting stuff about this charismatic African animal that I would like to share with you

Character

Leopards are larger than a house cat and the smallest members of the large cat category. They usually grow to only 3 to 6 feet long with a long tail. Females typically  weigh around 46 to 132 pounds (21 to 60 kilograms) and males usually weigh around 80 to 165 lbs. (36 to 75 kg)

 Leopards are introverted kind of creatures and are hard to pin down; they are the hardest to find most especially on photography.  These incredible creatures often spend their days hidden in trees or caves. "They hunt at night".  They don’t stroll in savanna or the jungle to run into the lions, that hunt them down at times.

 Dietary

 Leopards are trap predators; they bend        down low to sneak up to their prey and  seize upon before it has a chance to   react,   they are carnivores but aren't   picky eaters.  These big cats have a wide-   ranging diet,   they enjoy different kinds   of grub. They   eat  bugs, fish, antelope,   monkeys,   rodents; deer, snakes, large   birds,   warthogs, and porcupines.

 Breeding

 The male and female possibly stay     together for several days, sharing kills,   and they mate repeatedly over a few   days, the female leopards will conceive   the leopard cubs about 90 to 100 days   later, there can be up to about four of   them.

Cubs are born in heavy cover or in caves. They first accompany their mothers on hunts at four months and usually make their first kills at five months.

Other Interesting Leopard facts include;

    Leopard Scientific name is Panthera pardus.

    their Life expectancy is for 15 to 20 yrs.

    They have a very gorgeous coat with a yellowish-brown backdrop and rosettes that give support to them in camouflage.

    Other added unique feature of include; the big head, powerful neck and shoulders, and the short, muscular limbs.

     Leopards are the most thriving and cunning among big cats. They are able to live in a wide variety of habitats, from semi-desert to tropical rain forests.

    Once there are no large predators in the area, leopard leaves its kill on the ground covered with loose soil or leaves or else it will carry its prey up a tree.

    surplus food is stored to be eaten in a while but this does not hinder them from hunting. Interesting!! 

In Uganda you can best see the leopards at;

    Kidepo Valley National Park

    Murchison Falls National Park

    Queen ElizabethNational Park  including the Ishashasector of the park

    Lake Mburo National Park which is considered the closest National Park to Kampala

    Semliki National Park  and Wildlife Reserve  which is down the fantastic escarpment of the Western Rift Valley