the Leopard
panthera pardus
Physical Appearance
The leopard varies greatly in
size. They weigh, on average between 60 and 200 pounds. The males can be up to 50% larger than the
females!! The leopard is the strongest of the large
cats when compared pound for pound and is capable of killing
prey that is much larger than itself. The leopard is a
sufficient climber, and has a long body with stocky
legs. The leopards paws are very broad and it has a tail
longer than a
Tiger's, which is particularly useful for
climbing amongst the branches of trees.
A leopard's coat can come in a variety of different colors
and patterns. It ranges from a light buff color to a more dark
golden color. Its spots are called "rosettes"
and also vary in shape. Usually, leopards living in
Eastern Africa exhibit more circular rosettes and those
living in Southern Africa have rosettes that are more square
in shape.
Leopards that are completely black in color and are commonly
known as "black panthers". The black panther is a
member of the same species as the spotted leopard, and are
said to be a melanistic morph. Black panthers occur more in
areas where the change in coat color helps to camouflage the
leopard better. Some examples of where black panthers are
more prevalent include rainforest habitats, the Mayan
Peninsula and the Ethiopian highlands in Africa
