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Project Noah Nature School
Panthera pardus
My first Leopard sighting!
Savannah Grassland
The leopard /ˈlɛpərd/ is the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera. Compared to other members of the Felidae, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and more slightly built. Its fur is marked with rosettes similar to those of the jaguar, but the leopard's rosettes are smaller and more densely packed, and do not usually have central spots as the jaguars do. Both leopards and jaguars that are melanistic are known as black panthers.
Spotted on Mar 27, 2013
Submitted on Sep 25, 2013
29 Comments (1–25)
Thanks my little friends!! ;-)
Thanks for ur kind words Maria, yeah they really are special to see, most mysterious and silent out of any mammal I've seen. Majestic!
Fantastic series and how exciting it must have been. I've never had the privilege to see one of these cats in the wild and would love to do so one day. And a belated congratulations on your SOTD!
Thx everyone, I appreciate all your kind comments!! These cats are on a serious decrease here in South Africa, the farmers are shooting them every chance they get! Our govt has issued serious penalties for killing them so I hope this helps. They used to be abundant in the forests where I live but very few are now recorded. A real shame!
Congrats!
Congratulations, Jared Hersch, well deserved SOTD.
Congratulations!
Wow, so exciting! I still havent seen one of these guys, so well done! Nice photos too.
Great find!
Congrats!
Thanks everyone!! Wow I'm really surprised! This is such a special mammal, I'm really happy that it got the spotlight!
Congratulations!
Wow....
Simply beautiful animal. My fave big cat from Africa. Unfortunately it seems that we already have an extinct subspecies. Here (Brazil) we have the jaguar. Amazing!! Congratulations on spotting of the day, Jared!
Congratulations !
So beautiful!! Your 2nd picture is fantastic!!
Thank you for sharing the spotting of this gorgeous Leopard.
Congrats, Jared! Hope to see one of these some day, beautiful animals!
What an awesome encounter Jared! Thank you for sharing, & congrats on another great Spotting of the Day!
Though it is one of the smallest “big cats”, a male leopard can drag a carcass three times its own weight up a tree.
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Thnx Jared - we're on a tour type trip of over 2 weeks. Multiple destinations and options and while it's "canned," I am very excited by the possibilities offered. I'll be uploading after the new year :)
What a beauty !!
Thx for the comments all, Karen you gonna love it here in South Africa such diverse wildlife and plenty to see. if you need any tips on where to go or what to see let me know.
Awesome. We're heading there in December. Hope I get my first spotting ...
Awesome shots for your first spotting of a Leopard!
Wow how did you find that?
Stunning kitty! You are sooo lucky!!! Thanks for sharing these lovely pics.
Thx Meesha and Antonio!