Leopards live in Africa and Asia. They can live in many kinds of places, from deserts to jungles to mountains. Leopards live in grassy savannas, woodlands and forests too.
Leopards are excellent climbers. A leopard has a long tail, and the tail helps it balance when it climbs. A leopard can even climb down a tree head first.
A leopard carries its food up into a tree. It takes the food up a tree to keep it safe from other animals that would take it. Leopards also rest in trees.
A leopard is nocturnal, which means it is most active at night. Leopards usually rest during the day and hunt at night. They have very good sight and hearing, which they use when they hunt.
Leopards eat many kinds of animals. They often hunt mid-sized hoofed animals. Leopards hunt animals such as impala and springbok, which are kinds of antelope.
A leopard can run in short bursts of up to 36 miles per hour. That is 58 kilometers per hour. These are short bursts, so the run is quick.
A leopard coat is covered in spots called rosettes. A rosette is a spot shaped like a flower. The spots help a leopard hide in grass and trees.
A baby leopard grows inside its mother for about three months before it is born. A mother leopard has her cubs in a hidden spot, such as a cave, a burrow, or thick plants.
A mother leopard hides her cubs and moves them from one safe place to another. Young leopards stay with their mother for more than a year before they go off on their own. In the wild, leopards live about 10 to 12 years.
Leopards mostly live alone. A leopard makes a rough call. The call is a rasp, like a handsaw cutting wood.
Words to know
- nocturnal: active at night
- hoofed: having hooves
- rosette: flower-shaped spot
- sight: seeing
- cubs: baby leopards
The short version
Leopards live in Africa and Asia, in many kinds of places from deserts to jungles to mountains. They mostly live alone and are most active at night. A leopard carries its food up into trees to keep it safe from other animals that would take it.
Quick facts
- Leopards live in Africa and Asia.
- Leopards are nocturnal, which means they are most active at night.
- A leopard carries its food up into trees.
- Leopards in the wild live about 10 to 12 years.
- A baby leopard grows inside its mother for about three months before it is born.
Why do leopards climb trees?
Leopards are excellent climbers, and a leopard's long tail helps it balance when it climbs. A leopard carries its food up into trees, to keep it safe from other animals that would take it. Leopards also rest in trees.
What do leopards eat?
Leopards eat many kinds of animals. They often hunt mid-sized hoofed animals, and they have very good sight and hearing, which they use when they hunt.
