
BASIC FACTS ABOUT LEOPARDS The leopard ( Panthera pardus ) is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats," the other three being the tiger , lion and jaguar . There are nine recognized subspecies of leopard. All subspecies except the African leopard can be found in Asia, South Asia, and India. DIET Leopards eat small hoofstock such as gazelle, impala, deer and wildebeast. On occasion, they may also hunt monkeys, rodents and birds. They often bring their prey up into the branches of a tree to at it and protect it from other predators and scavengers. Following a 90 - 105 day gestation, one to six kittens are born. The average litter size is two or three. Kittens weigh about one pound when they are born. They will stay with their mother for 18 to 24 months. Leopards are found throughout most of Africa and Asia from the middle east to the Soviet Union, Korea, China, India, and Malaysia. Leopards live in a variety of habitats...