You don’t have to be a cat person to love leopards. They’re in a category all of their own, thanks to their incomparable beauty and beguiling nature. Of all of Africa’s big cats they are without a doubt the most sought-after, and elusive, making them top of the wildlife viewing “bucket list” for every discerning safari fan. Let’s find out what makes leopards so special…
Top of the list of appealing things about leopards is that spectacular coat. It’s been a human fashion statement for as long as there have been humans, thanks to the irresistible combination of colours and those striking black rosettes. Coat colour can vary from a pale yellow to a dark golden and every shade in between, and those rosettes vary in shape too, depending on where in Africa you are.
Leopards are ambush predators, preferring stealth to speed, although they can clock and impressive 58km an hour when needed. They prefer hunting at night, but are just as likely to be seen during the day.
They are solitary cats, prefering their own company to that of other leopards. This reminds us most of our own domestic cats, who also tend to be loners. The only time you’ll see more than one leopard at a time is when they are mating (they are champions at this, doing it virtually every 15 minutes for up to five days), or when females have cubs (the youngsters become independent only after a year or so has passed).
“The leopard is my favourite African animal,” says Stanley Safaris founder, Shaun Stanley. “There’s nothing else that compares to its beauty and its ‘presence’ and seeing them in their natural habitat is always a huge privilege. For me, the leopard is the ultimate combination of effortless grace, immeasurable beauty and incredible power. It’s hard to beat that.”
While they’re classed as big cats, they’re the smallest of this grouping that includes lions, jaguars, cheetah and tigers, but easily the most agile, with legendary tree-climbing skills. Males get a lot bigger than females, both in size and weight, hitting as much as 70cm at the shoulder and weighing in at up to 90kg. Females are more delicate in appearance and rarely get heavier than 60kg.
“They are also incredibly strong, being able to hoist more than three times their own body weight vertically up a tree,” explains Shaun.