Cape Leopard
Big 5 Safari Guide: Leopards
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae (Cat Family)
Genus and Species: Panthera pardus pardus
Name
The Cape leopard (Panthera pardus pardus), a subspecies of the African leopard, is named after the region in South Africa where it is found. While all African leopards share the same scientific classification, Panthera pardus pardus, the term “Cape” refers to their primary habitat, the Cape Fold Mountains in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa.
Appearance
Like all leopards, Cape leopards have distinctive markings that provide excellent camouflage. Their faces, chests, and feet are dotted with solid black spots, which break into the signature rosettes covering their backs. Each individual’s coat pattern is unique.
Despite their striking appearance, spotting a Cape leopard in the wild is extremely rare. Their markings help them blend seamlessly into their rocky surroundings, and their stealth allows them to move undetected, even in the dead of night. But their rarity isn’t just due to their elusive nature—Cape leopards are one of the most endangered big cat populations, with fewer than 500 individuals remaining in the wild today.
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Size
The Cape leopard is significantly smaller than other African leopards, particularly those found in savanna regions like the Kruger National Park. This size difference is likely due to the rugged terrain and lower prey availability in the Cape Fold Mountains.
While a large savanna leopard can weigh nearly twice as much (90 kg), the Cape leopard has adapted to be leaner and more agile, making it well-suited to its mountainous habitat.
Shoulder Height:
- Males: Around 50–70 cm (1.6–2.3 ft)
- Females: Around 40–60 cm (1.3–2 ft)
Weight:
- Males: Average 35 kg (77 lbs), with a maximum recorded weight of 90 kg (200 lbs)
- Females: Average 37.5 kg (83 lbs), with a maximum recorded weight of 52.3 kg (115 lbs)
Smaller than other African leopards, likely due to the challenging environment and limited prey, Cape leopards are known for their elusive nature. Unlike their counterparts in savannah regions, they rely on smaller prey such as rock hyraxes (dassies), klipspringers, and even porcupines.
The Diet of Cape Leopards
Leopards are opportunistic and versatile hunters preying on species ranging from crickets, lizards and rodents to hares, porcupine and even ungulates as large as eland. Typically, they appear to take prey in proportion to availability in a given area.
In the Boland, Cederberg and Gamka, diet studies indicated that klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus) and rock hyrax/klipdassie (Procavia capensis) are the main prey species for leopards.
Porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) and Cape grysbok (Raphicerus melanotis) are more prominent components of leopard diet in the Boland. Contrary to popular belief, baboon (Papio ursinus ursinus) is not a major component of the diet of the leopards in the Western Cape.
Diet studies in the Western Cape indicate that baboons form less than 5% of leopard diet. Groupliving behaviour, agility and long canines, make baboons a formidable target. Despite regular interaction, baboons are comparatively seldom preyed on by leopards and baboons tend to avoid them where possible.
Location and Habitat
The Cape leopard has a specific range and prefers a particular type of environment. Primarily found in the Cape Fold Mountains, which stretch along the southern coastline from the Western Cape through the Eastern Cape, this includes areas like the Great Karoo, Swartberg Mountains, Cederberg Mountains, Tankwa Karoo, and Cape Peninsula.
Adapted to the fynbos biome, this unique South African vegetation type with dense, low-lying shrubs is their preferred habitat. Cape leopards are also excellent climbers and navigate rocky terrain with ease. The mountainous regions offer them shelter, vantage points for hunting, and a good distribution of prey animals.
Their presence in an area is closely linked to the availability of prey like antelope, springboks, dassies (rock hyraxes), and smaller mammals. Game Reserves and wildlife conservation areas will, naturally, have a higher population of Cape Leopards and report more frequent sightings as a result of higher prey populations and minimal human interference.
Behaviour
Leopards do not live in family groups – they are solitary, territorial animals. Two or more leopards are usually only observed together if it is a female with a cub, or a mating pair.
Leopards do not “live” in any one particular place for extended periods and do not have caves to which they return to night after night. They are always on the move – patrolling their territories, finding food and looking for mates.
They are predominantly nocturnal, solitary animals, but each individual has a home range that overlaps with its neighbours. Males have a larger range, and a single male’s range will often overlap with the range of several females. Ranges are marked with urine and claw marks.
Rocks, Trees and Climbing Things
Leopards in the Western Cape seldom hoist their prey into trees as there are not many suitable trees in their habitat. It is possible that hoisting is not necessary as they do not face competition from other large predators such as lions or hyenas that can steal their meal.
The Elusive Cape Leopard
Leopards in the Western Cape are not considered a threat to humans. However, despite their size, they are still immensely powerful and can be extremely fierce and dangerous when threatened or cornered.
Fortunately they are exceptionally elusive and shy of people, and most reported sightings last only a few seconds. Very few people are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a leopard.
Breeding
A female typically gives birth to a litter of two or three cubs. She abandons her nomadic lifestyle until the cubs are large enough to accompany her. She keeps them hidden for the first eight weeks and moves them from one location to the next until they are old enough to start learning to hunt.
They get their first taste of meat in six or seven weeks and stop suckling after about three months. The cubs continue to live with their mothers for about two years.
Discover More: The Cape Leopard Trust
Facts about Leopards
Categorised as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN’s Red List, African leopards have disappeared from over 65 percent of their natural range in Africa.
Leopards have somewhat smaller ranges and their population density is therefore slightly higher. However, due to their solitary nature and wide habitat range, Cape Leopard numbers are hard to track. Data from recent cape leopard studies, in three distinct mountain areas, suggest that there are fewer than 500 leopards in left in the Western Cape.
A group of leopards is called a leap. However, leopards are solitary animals, so it’s rare to see them in groups.
Males and females may stay together during mating season, and it’s common to see a mother with her cubs—she can have up to two or three at a time. Once they’re old enough, the cubs set off on their own, continuing the leopard’s famously independent lifestyle.
All leopards on the African continent are currently taxonomically assigned to a single subspecies, Panthera pardus pardus. A study by Martins (2006) on the conservation genetics of leopards in South Africa revealed interesting new data about local genetic diversity and population structuring.
This study suggests that leopards in the Western Cape are genetically distinct from populations in the Eastern Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga regions and recommends that the Western Cape population be managed as a separate unit. Apart from the genetic difference, the Western Cape leopard population also differs morphologically from other populations.
The leopards in the Western Cape are small and on average half the mass of leopards in the Kruger National Park (leopard males: average 35kg; leopard females: average 24kg).
Yes, there are leopards in the Karoo. Cape Leopards are the subspecies most likely to be found in the Karoo, particularly the mountainous areas like the Great Karoo, Tankwa plains, and the Swartberg Mountains. In recent years, conservation efforts have seen their numbers increase in these regions.
It’s important to note that due to their elusive nature, leopard sightings in the Karoo are uncommon for casual visitors. However, some wildlife reserves and parks within the Karoo that focus on predator conservation may have a higher chance of leopard sightings.
Unlike their spotted counterparts, Cheetahs, Cape leopards aren’t the fastest big cats around. Known for their impressive stalking abilities, Cape leopards can reach speeds of up to 58 kilometres per hour (36 miles per hour) in short bursts. This is crucial for them to ambush prey over short distances.
Leopards are not built for sustained chases. Their strength lies in stealth and explosive acceleration to catch prey by surprise.
Cape leopards are primarily crepuscular, meaning they are most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk.
Many smaller prey animals, like impala, springboks, warthogs, and other small mammals, are also more active during these cooler periods. This increases the leopard’s hunting success.
Larger predators, like lions and hyenas, which are more active during the day and night, are less of a threat during twilight. Early morning hours also offer cooler temperatures compared to the harsh midday sun. This allows Cape leopards to conserve energy and be more active while avoiding overheating.
While they are most active during dawn and dusk, Cape leopards may also be occasionally active at night, especially if prey availability is high or there’s a need to travel long distances.
Baby leopards are called cubs (singular: cub).
The term leopard refers to both male and female leopards, though the word leopardess can be used for females—it’s just not very common. There isn’t a specific name for male leopards, so they’re simply called leopards.
