I’m a Leopard

Leopards live in the great outdoors.

They are native to Africa and live in deserts, grasslands, forests, mountains, ranges, savannas, swamps and the rainforest.

They are part of the cat family and are big.

They are grouped with lions, tigers, jaguars and cheetahs.

Snow leopards can be seen in the wild in winter snow.

Leopards are solitary animals choosing to live alone only getting together to mate and tend to their young.

Leopards are spotted cats and very majestic in the wild.

They are fast, strong and will attack if you encroach on their space.

They are fierce defenders of their territory and their young and are not to be messed with.

We all know the saying “a leopard can’t change its spots” meaning it can’t change its ways.

It’s similar to the saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

Leopards are fast but if they run head to head with a cheetah, the cheetah will outrun it as it’s twice as fast. Leopards in the wild run 35 mph and cheetahs at top speed eclipse 75 mph.

Leopards however are superior in brute strength to cheetahs.

Mother leopards are very protective of their young cubs.

There are 38 species of cats and 7 species of leopards in the world.

Cats range in size from the smallest, the rusty spotted cat weighing no more than 5 lbs in adulthood to the largest, the tiger weighing as much as 700 lbs and the cross of a lion and tiger, the liger weighing more than 1,000 lbs.

Leopards can be seen and appreciated by children at zoos all around the world. Wildlife in captivity have longer lifespans where they’re more protected.

Leopards in the wild face extinction for various reasons so there are laws in place to help protect them but despite that leopards are still threatened.

Leopards in the wild can live up to 15 years and in captivity 25 years.

Only we can help all wildlife including leopards if we choose to and cooperate with the laws in place.

If you see me running around in the wild let me roam free so I can get back to my family to feed my young.

I’m a leopard.