Finding Leopards in Kruger National Park (RSA)
Description, Social Structure, Habitat and Hunting Methods
Nov 11, 2008
Leopards are shy and elusive predators, but visitors to the Kruger National Park in South Africa, stand a good chance of seeing the animal if they know how these cats behave.
What Leopards Look Like (Physical Description)
The Leopard's color varies from white to bright golden brown with black rosettes and spots. Each rosette contains a group of 4 to 6 spots arranged in a circle. These rosettes are mainly on the body of the Leopard and black spots cover the legs, head and rump. The stomach is white.
Leopards have long tails measuring more than half the body length. The underside of the tail is white while rosettes sprinkle the top of the tail. They have small rounded ears and long white whiskers growing from black dots on the upper lip.
The average length of a Leopard is 190cm and they stand on average 80cm tall. Male Leopards are bigger than females and a male Leopard can weigh between 20 and 82 kg. Females weigh between 17 and 35 kg.
How Leopards Interact With Each Other (Social Structure)
Leopards are solitary animals and do not form social groups. Except during mating season, Leopards live and hunt alone. In rare sightings a mother with her cub might be seen or two adults frolicking during mating.
Where Leopards Live (Habitat)
Mostly Leopards prefer dense vegetation, rocky outcrops or next to rivers and streams. Although dry conditions are not preferred, Leopards sometimes hide in unused Aardvark burrows or next to riverbeds. The rosettes and color of their coats helps them blend into the trees and tall grass. They are territorial and mark their area with droppings and the spray of urine.
How Leopards Hunt (Hunting Methods)
The Leopard has a keen sense of smell, excellent hearing and eyesight according to Robin Frandsen in "Southern African Mammals - a field guide" Honeyguide Publications, 1998 . These nocturnal animals are skilled climbers and easily drag the carcass of a kill into a tree. Leopards hunt by stalking the prey using any vegetation to camouflage them. They jump at their prey from a close distance and kill the prey by clamping down on the throat. Leopards feed on small mammals, birds, fish, baboons, Rock Hyrax and even rats and mice.
Where to Look for Leopards in the Kruger National Park
The best times to search for Leopard are in the early morning and late afternoon.
When searching for Leopard, look into the trees on lower branches as Leopards rest in the shade during the day and frequently use the lower branches to sleep on and keep away from other predators.
The dense vegetation on the ground also provides the Leopard with good hiding places and visitors have to seek for them in the shade on the ground.
Ant mounts and rocky outcrops are favorite haunts of Leopards.
The following places in the Kruger National Park report regular sightings of Leopard:
- Along the Sabie River - this includes the H4-1 road between Lower Sabie Camp and the Nkuhlu picnic spot to Skukuza.
- Along the H3-1 between Skukuza and Satara, especially in the vicinity of Tshokwane picnic spot.
- On the S35 close to Orpen Dam where the road forks Leopards often rest in the trees.
- The H7 between Orpen Gate and Satara close to Bobbejaankrans and at the Masala lookout point.
- Around the Shingwedzi camp and at the Kanniedood Dam Leopard sightings are frequent.
Leopards roam the whole Kruger National Park and not only at the places mentioned. Visitors will do well to keep an eye out for these elusive cats everywhere in the park.
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