The Leopard – Panthera Pardus – Is another of the Big Cat Species and in South Africa it is known to be the smallest member of the Big 5 (The big 5 is a term coined by hunters used for the 5 most difficult animals to hunt on foot).

They weigh in at around 60-70kg for an average male.

Widespread throughout Africa – Except for the Sahara Dessert, they are also found in the southern parts of the Middle East, India and Southern parts of Asia. Smaller Leopards are found in the Cederberg and Boland known as the Cape Leopard. With Cape Leopards females weigh around 20kg and males average at about 35kg.

Leopards are known to drag their prey up a tree to keep it safe from other predators. It has been found that Leopards can drag prey of 2-3 times their own body weight up trees and some smaller prey up to a height of 15meters. And there you were thinking that fine dining on rooftop restaurants was something invented in Manhattan!

Leopards live solitary lives and males and females only come together for mating.

An unusual fact about Leopards is that they are one of the few big cats known to exhibit melanism, a condition that results in an all-black coat. These melanistic Leopards are often referred to as "black panthers." However, even though their fur appears completely black, if you look closely in good lighting, you can still see the leopard’s characteristic rosette patterns. This melanism provides these leopards with enhanced camouflage in dense forests, aiding their stealthy hunting tactics.