Leopard

 
Setswana Name:  Nkwe
 
Scientific Name: 

Panthera pardus

 
The most secretive and elusive of the large carnivores, the leopard is also the shrewdest. Pound for pound, it is the strongest climber of the large cats and capable of killing prey larger than itself. The basic body colour varies from almost white to orange-russet, with black sports on the legs, flanks, hindquarters and head. The spots on the body consist of rosettes or broken circles of irregular black spots. The tail is about half of the total length, with rosette spots above and a white tip. The ears are rounded and white-tipped. The underparts are usually white to off-white. Cubs have dark, wooly hair and less-distinct spots.
 
Leopards are solitary creatures and predominately nocturnal. Each individual has a home range that overlaps with its neighbors; the male's range is much larger and generally overlaps with those of several females. Leopards continually move about their territory, seldom staying in an area for more than two or three days at a time. Ranges are marked with urine and claw marks and leopards announce their presence to other leopards with a rasping cough. Leopards also growl, roar and purr.

Leopards are primarily nocturnal, usually resting during the daytime in trees or thick bush. In areas where it is not disturbed, it can be seen moving during the cooler daylight hours.  The Leopard’s spotted coat provides almost perfect camouflage. Leopards stalk and then pounce on their prey and do not rely on running at high speed like the Cheetah. The Leopard is mainly terrestrial, but is also a good climber and swimmer.
 
Reproduction
Female leopards usually have two or three cubs but can have a litter of up to four, after a gestation period of about 100 days. The young cubs, weighing around 500g, are kept hidden in various shelters for the first six weeks, occasionally being moved for safety. Leopard cubs are kept hidden for the first two months and are suckled for at least three months. They start hunting from the age of five months and they may stay together as a family group for up to two years. The cub’s coats appear to be smoky gray as the rosettes are not yet clearly delineated. The female abandons her nomadic wandering until the cubs are large enough to accompany her. There is no fixed breeding season.
 
Habitat
The most widespread of the felines, leopardshave a wide habitat tolerance being recorded in open grassland and scrub, riverine woodland and in rocky hilly country. They can be found anywhere in Botswana. Leopards occur in the driest part of the country with a mean annual rainfall of 200mm and less, as well as well-watered higher rainfall areas such as the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. Dense bush in rocky surroundings and riverine forest are their favorite habitats, but leopards adapt to many places in both warm and cold climates. Their adaptability, in fact, has helped them survive the loss of habitat to increasing human settlement.
 

Food
The leopard is a cunning, stealthy hunter and its prey ranges from strong-scented carrion, fish, reptiles and birds to mammals such as rodents, hares, hyraxes, warthogs, antelopes, monkeys and baboons. Both lions and hyenas have been known to take away a leopard's kill. To prevent this, leopards store their larger kills in trees where they can feed on them in relative safety. Leopards may kill more than their immediate needs and ‘store’ their quarry in trees for several days. Only hyenas rival the leopard in their readiness to gorge on rotten meat.  

 
 
Leopards have always endured much hunting pressure from humans - partly for their soft, exquisite fur that was, and unfortunately still is used for ceremonial robes and fashion coats. The tail, claws and whiskers of the leopard are popular as fetishes. In some areas farmers try to exterminate them, while in others leopards are considered symbols of wisdom.

Trapped, wounded or threatened, the Leopard can be extremely dangerous, but under normal circumstances it is shy and withdraws from disturbance.