This blog was written by Lionel Gojon, a Bushwise International Field Guide student. Each student takes a turn as camp manager, and writing a blog is part of the experience.
3 min read
A shadow in the night. A speck of dust rolling. Razor-sharp claws severing. A piercing shriek. Leopards are the epitome of stealth.
As an Emirati field guide told me once, "You can't own a leopard." Fences can be made, national parks can be guarded and protected, but there is no way to keep a wild leopard in a specific area. Like a shadow, it will vanish into the night. It can be anywhere and you wouldn't notice. It would only leave its haven at night, a deadly creature killing in complete silence.
Leopards can survive even in areas not thought for them. A rocky outcrop, a mountainous chain, a desert, a rainforest, farmland, the outskirts of a city, you name it. Male leopards have been known to cover large distances, looking for territory.
The leopard has always been my favourite animal since a young age. Their stealthiness fascinated me; their raw power made me wonder. I found it unimaginably beautiful from the first glimpse. I was always looking at pictures and watching videos of leopards, wondering when I would be able to witness such grace in person. How could a fairly light animal lift such heavy prey into the trees? How could it stay up there, comfortably settled with its meal, laughing at the fight for food raging on below? Some would call it arrogance, I'd call it sheer superiority.
We've all witnessed the incredible agility and skill of a domestic cat. It can fall from anywhere and will land on its feet, unfazed; so flexible that a fall which could have killed a human would barely bother it. We've seen them dodging snake attacks, so fast that even the incredible reflexes of a serpent are no match for them. We've seen them bullying much bigger dogs or hunting and playing with food as if it were easy. Now imagine the same animal, but much bigger, and without thousands of generations of domestic life that may slowly erode their reflexes and capabilities. That's the leopard.
From a mouse to a wildebeest, the leopard can kill a vast variety of prey. It will ambush the animal, or get close enough without being noticed before striking. The suffocation will be fast, the chances of survival will be thin. For me, the most impressive hunts are when the leopard waits up in a tree for an impala to get under it, and then lets itself fall on the poor ungulate, sometimes from very high points.
Despite its incredible abilities and adaptation skills, the population of leopards around the world are largely declining, mainly due to habitat loss, poaching for claws and body parts, as well as conflict with farmers and trophy hunting in some instances. Once widespread around Africa, Asia and even parts of Europe, leopards are now believed to be present in only around 25% of their original range. Some subspecies such as the Amur leopard in the Russian far-east have populations of no more than a hundred individuals. It is our duty to preserve this magnificent animal and find ways to coexist.
Learn more about the fascinating world of leopards and find out how you can contribute to wildlife conservation with Bushwise programs.
