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Leopard
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Scientific Name - Panthera Pardus
The leopard is a hunter without equal among the big cats.  A beautiful combination of grace and power, the leopard is compact muscle and flowing movement, all in one body.  One of the most accomplished feline stalkers, the leopard slinks from one patch of scrub to another, inconspicuous, infinitely patient.  The leopard can creep extremely close to its prey, revealing itself for only a few seconds at the instant of attack.  Adult leopards measure about two feet tall and seven feet long, weighing 80 - 200 pounds for males and 60 - 130 pounds for females.  How such a creature sneeks unseen and unheard across an area covered only by sparce vegetation is a mystery.  But the stealthiest of the big cats succeeds at it, emerging in a rush to snare its prey.  The leopard's spotted coat matches the clumps of vegetation almost perfectly.  This camouflage allows the leopard to be equally at home in the forest or in the open grasslands, making it a versatile hunter.

Being a good hunter has helped the leopard to survive in many habitats: in every type of forest, in woodlands and savannas, in mountain uplands.  Leopards range from Africa to China, from India through Russia.  In areas where the leopard co-exists with larger cats, it appears that the leopards allow the lions and tigers first choice of food and space.  This adaptability in habitat, prey and living arrangements has served the leopard well.  This is shown by leopards remaining in areas where lions and tigers were wiped out long ago.

The leopard has somewhat of a sinister reputation, which has been accentuated by the fact that some leopards are melanistic.  Melanism produces a black fur, in which the leopards usual light background colouring appears to have been dyed black, leaving the even darker spots to show through only in certain light.  This condition has produced the name 'black panther'.  Some people believe that black panthers are more powerful and savage than ordinary leopards, but no extra strength comes with the dark colour.