Animal
Leopard
A solitary hunter that uses trees for shelter and food storage.
Content language
For a leopard, a tree can be a resting place and a store for prey. This cat can haul meat high above the ground, where other predators find it harder to reach. Agile climbing also allows it to take shelter on a branch. Its long tail helps it balance when moving above ground. These skills are useful both in dense forest and in more open landscapes with scattered trees.
Leopards occur in Africa and Asia. They occupy varied habitats, from forests to dry areas with scrub and rocky hiding places. Dark spots cover their pale coats, often forming rosettes. This pattern breaks up the outline of the body against vegetation and helps the cat approach prey unnoticed.
An adult leopard usually lives alone and finds its own food. It stalks and then attacks at close range rather than pursuing prey over a long distance. Its prey includes antelopes, monkeys, rodents and birds. Good eyesight and hearing help it locate them. Leopards are often active at night, while the day may be spent in a sheltered spot, including high in a tree canopy.
For children
A leopard can carry its prey up a tree. Food stored high on a branch is harder for other predators to reach. Trees also provide places to rest and hide. A long tail helps the cat keep its balance.
Leopards come from Africa and Asia. They live in different habitats, from forests to dry places with shrubs and rocks. Dark markings on pale fur make their outline harder to spot among plants.
An adult leopard usually hunts alone. First it creeps closer, then it springs from a short distance. It eats animals such as antelopes, rodents and birds. Good eyesight and hearing help it find them. It often hunts at night and rests in a sheltered place during the day. Trees can therefore provide both a refuge and a place for a meal.
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