Yes, a leopard can mate with a jaguar. The hybrid cat thus created has four different names: jagulep, jagleop, lepjag and leguar. All pretty unimaginative names but descriptive nonetheless. As usual, I have to call upon my friend Sarah Hartwell … Continue reading →
Yes, leopards eat monkeys but it depends on where the leopard is living. They have an enormous distribution, the largest of all the wild cat species. In “some forested areas leopards take a surprisingly large number of monkeys”1. This should … Continue reading →
People ask why there are no big cats in Australia but they could also ask a much wider question namely, “Why are there no native cats at all in Australia?” The answer must be found in the fact that the … Continue reading →
The answer is no and I’ll explain why. The classification of the species is decided by experts and it is still not fully settled. Early on, up to 200 years ago, scientists got the classifications wrong or a least it … Continue reading →
The photograph shows a group of men surrounding a dead leopard. The news headline is ‘Human-leopard conflicts increase’. Macho men like to demonstrate their courage and skill in killing leopards who wander into urban environments. This is where a lot … Continue reading →
The name ‘hunting leopard’ was generally used for the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) until recent times. The name fell into disuse because it caused confusion with the name of the true leopard (common leopard) – Panthera pardus. So a hunting leopard … Continue reading →
“Leopard cubs are born after a gestation period of about 96 days, although zoo records suggest that gestation can take anywhere from 90 to 105 days.” The information is a direct quote from the premier book on the wild cat … Continue reading →
This is a genuine black panther. It is not that big because the cat is 6-months-of-age. The cat is a melanistic jaguar or leopard. It is more likely to be a leopard. The cat was owned illegally by a French … Continue reading →
A slice of day-to-day life of the leopard in the Kruger National Park, in northeastern South Africa. It is one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Nothing dramatic happens but the leopard knocks a squirrel off the tree to the ground and … Continue reading →
This is Mumbai, India where they have a compact nature reserve very near or inside the city. There are leopards inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. I am guessing but it seems likely that the leopard in the video wandered … Continue reading →
