Leopards

Leopards belong to the scientific family Felidae, which includes all cats, and their species name is Panthera pardus.

A group of leopards is called a “leap” — though they usually prefer to live alone!

Leopards are one of the five “big cats” in the genus Panthera, along with lions, tigers, jaguars, and snow leopards!

A male leopard is called a leopard, a female is called a leopardess, and a baby is called a cub!

Leopards can be found in parts of Africa, Asia, and even some areas of the Middle East!

An adult leopard’s tail is almost as long as its entire body, measuring up to 3.5 feet (1 meter) in length!

Leopards have spotted coats with black rosettes that are like fingerprints — no two leopards have exactly the same pattern!

A male leopard can weigh up to 200 pounds (90 kilograms) — about as heavy as three 8-year-old kids combined!

Leopards can leap forward up to 20 feet (6 meters) in a single bound — that’s longer than a minivan!

A leopard’s whiskers are as wide as its body, helping it determine if it can fit through tight spaces!

Leopards’ eyes are about six times more sensitive to light than human eyes, making them excellent night hunters!

The black spots on a leopard’s coat are called “rosettes” because they look like little roses!

A leopard’s paw prints are about 4 inches (10 centimeters) wide — about the size of a tennis ball!

Leopards have retractable claws that they can pull back into special protective sheaths in their paws!

A leopard’s tongue is covered in tiny hooks called papillae that help it scrape meat off bones and groom its fur!

Leopards are excellent swimmers and often fish for their dinner in rivers and streams!

Leopards communicate with each other through a variety of sounds, including a rasping cough-like call that sounds like someone sawing wood!

Leopards often drag their prey up into trees to keep it safe from other predators — even if the prey is larger than they are!

Clouded leopards can climb down trees headfirst thanks to their flexible ankle joints that can turn 180 degrees!

Leopards mark their territory by scratching trees and leaving scent marks that smell like popcorn to humans!

A mother leopard will move her cubs to a new den every few days to keep them safe from predators!

Leopards are most active during twilight hours, which scientists call being “crepuscular”!

Leopards can run at speeds up to 36 miles per hour (58 kilometers per hour) — faster than a bicycle!

Each leopard has its own territory that can be as large as 174 square miles (451 square kilometers) — that’s bigger than some cities!

Leopards are such good climbers that they sometimes sleep in trees to stay safe from other predators!

Leopards can live in more different types of places than any other big cat — from rainforests to deserts!

Some leopards live in cities and towns in India, adapting to life around humans!

Leopards can survive without drinking water for up to 10 days by getting moisture from their food!

Leopards have been found living at heights of up to 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) in the Himalayas!

A leopard’s spots help it blend in with shadows in the forest, making it nearly invisible to prey!

Leopards can jump up to 10 feet (3 meters) straight up in the air — higher than a basketball hoop!

Amur leopards living in very cold areas grow fur up to 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) long to stay warm!

Leopards are such good swimmers that they can fish in fast-moving rivers!

Leopards often rest in trees during the day to stay cool and avoid other predators!

A leopard’s spotted coat helps it stay hidden in at least seven different types of habitat!

Baby leopards are born with blue eyes that change to golden-yellow as they grow up!

A hungry leopard can eat up to 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of meat in one meal — that’s like eating 160 hamburgers!

Leopards are known to eat at least 90 different species of animals — they’re one of the least picky eaters among big cats!

A leopard can carry prey that weighs up to twice its own body weight up into a tree!

A leopard usually returns to the same kill for 3–4 days until it’s finished eating it!

Leopards have been known to eat everything from mice to small crocodiles!

Leopards often hunt at night using their amazing eyesight to spot prey in almost complete darkness!

Baby leopards are born blind and only open their eyes after about a week!

Leopard cubs start learning to hunt when they’re just 3 months old!

A mother leopard teaches her cubs to hunt for about 18 months before they go off on their own!

Leopard cubs start eating meat when they’re about 8–10 weeks old months old but continue drinking their mother’s milk until they’re 4–6 months old!

A newborn leopard cub weighs only about 1 pound (500 grams) — about as much as a loaf of bread!

Leopard cubs begin climbing trees when they’re about three months old!

A leopard can live up to 25 years in captivity, but usually lives 10–15 years in the wild!

Female leopards usually have 2–3 cubs in each litter!