African leopard: The big cat that hauls its dinner up a tree

The African leopard is one of the most agile big cats of Africa's grasslands and forests. It wears a coat of flower-like spots and has a signature trick — hauling its prey up into a tree to hide it. Let's meet this "all-round hunter".

Its body

The rings on a leopard's coat are called "rosettes". Look closely: they are not solid dots but hollow, flower-like shapes, pale in the middle and darker around the edge. Every leopard's pattern is as unique as a fingerprint. Powerful shoulders, strong limbs and retractable claws let it run fast and climb securely, and its eyesight stays sharp in dim light — the mark of a night hunter.

Where it lives and what it eats

Leopards feed on small and medium-sized animals. They often hunt alone, creeping close before a sudden strike. Their most famous habit is dragging a kill high into a tree — where lions and hyenas cannot steal it. Besides climbing, they can swim, and they cope with everything from grassland to forest. A genuine "all-rounder".

Where it is found

African leopards live across sub-Saharan Africa, and leopards are also found in parts of Asia. "African leopard" refers to the African populations. Shrinking habitat and human activity threaten them, and they are a protected species.

A note for grown-ups

You could hunt for the spots in a picture with a child: are they dots, or hollow flower-like rings? Learning to "look at the details" is the first step in getting to know an animal. You could also ask why a leopard takes its food up a tree — the answer lies in avoiding competitors.