10 things I bet you never knew - December 13

Melaine Warren

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

LEOPARDS are considered one of the most exotic animals worldwide, oftentimes captured to make clothing or to their patterns used to produce many household items.

Today, let’s step back and take a look at some interesting facts about this extravagant cat.

1. The leopard — stealthy, cunning and adaptable — is the ultimate cat, able to live in a wide variety of habitats, from semi-desert to tropical rain forests.

2. Leopards hunt on land and in water — they are great swimmers.

3. Leopards hunt about 90 different species of animals. Their diet consists of mostly monkeys, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, wild pigs, and ungulates (hoofed mammals).

4. Leopards are strong tree climbers — they can even climb a tree while carrying a prey their own weight. Leopards often carry their prey up trees to prevent other animals, such as hyenas, from sharing their kill.

5. The snow leopard is a most remarkable cat that operates in extremely difficult terrain and climate conditions at the top of the world — The Himalayas.

6. Leopards stalk their prey until they are a few feet away and then pounce on the prey, they do not usually miss. If they do miss, then the prey is lucky since the leopard does not normally chase its prey.

7. Primarily nocturnal hunters, leopards may also stalk their prey on overcast days.

8. Although they are solitary animals and do not live in families, leopards nevertheless have strong maternal bonds. Even though the young become independent at about 22 months, the mother may continue to share kills with her offspring until they become totally self-sufficient.

9. Leopards are great athletes, able to run in bursts up to 36 miles an hour (58 kilometres per hour), leap 20 feet (six metres) forward in a single bound, and jump ten feet (three meters) straight up.

10. They can live without drinking water, getting the moisture they need from their food.