There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
From Persian Leopard Project: "Another Persian leopard caught in illegal wild boar snares in northern Iran. The leopard is released and now being checked in a veterinary clinic for possible injuries." LINK
From Persian Leopard Conservation in Kurdistan, Iraq: "Happy World Wildlife Day! Here's a video of multiple shots of a Leopard in front of one of our camera traps. This leopard has been using this trail since 2012 when our camera trap caught it for the first time."
From My Journey with Persian Leopards: "Borna is the celebrity in Tandoureh, many recent visitors to the Park has been lucky to see him (Photo by Milad Moghadam)"
From My Journey with Persian Leopards: "Borna, our first collared leopard patrol on rocky valleys but he knows wonderfully how to keep his balance on such steep outcrops."
A recent camera trapping survey in Bafq Protected Area provided an updated understanding about leopard population trends and demographics. During an intensive camera trapping study in partnership with Panthera and Bafq Department of Environment, eight individuals were identified, including two families with a total of three cubs.
Camera traps were deployed in more than 60 stations throughout the reserve as well as nearby mountains for three months and checked regularly. Besides leopard; wolf, caracal, wild cat and several fox species were also photographed. Sadly, no Asiatic cheetah was photographed in the area, which is the first time that the species was not captured since 2000. Surprisingly, grey wolf was found more widespread than before in several stations. Wolves are perceived to avoid areas with high density of leopards due to competition over food.
With an area of 850 km², Bafq Protected Area is an arid mountainous reserve in central Iran and a hotspot for endangered Persian leopard. In 2011, following the first population survey led by Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS) using camera traps, a total of 11 individuals were recognized. Since 2016, the Project Future4Leopards has worked closely with local stakeholders through enhancing anti-poaching efforts and community education. In November 2016, the Project afforded renovation of a Yamaha trail motorbike to be used by rangers and more than 450 local households have received a leopard wall calendar by March 2017.
04-01-2017, 01:28 AM( This post was last modified: 04-01-2017, 01:28 AM by Ngala )
If people have a doubt on who is the the largest leopard subspecies...in this photo there is the answer!
From My Journey with Persian Leopards: "Patrolling along ridgelines will give leopards a better chance to detect prey, threat and also other leopard intruders into their territory, such as this leopard in Salouk National Park."
07-03-2017, 03:35 PM( This post was last modified: 07-03-2017, 03:35 PM by Ngala )
From My Journey with Persian Leopards: "Borna, the first leopard carried a satellite collar in the Middle East in 2014 is still alive and doing well within his territory in Tandoureh."
Based on what I saw, I'd say there are distinct regional differences in size. Skulls of animals shot in northwestern India and northern Iran are larger than those shot in other Asian regions (Asia Minor, southeastern Russia, southeast Asia, Indonesia, central parts of India and Shri Lanka). Second place is for India, but Shri Lankan and Thailand leopards are roughly the same size.
2 - Africa
Africa also shows distinct regional differences in size. The difference with Asia is there seems to be no clear pattern. The largest African skulls were from animals shot in elevated regions in central parts of the continent, but skulls from leopards shot in southern Africa just about compared. The most impressive skulls I saw, however, were from animals shot in dense tropical forests in western parts of Africa. Although a bit flatter in profile, they were more robust and also had the largest teeth.
These tropical forest leopards reminded me of Patagonian pumas. Although not longer than those shot in the northern part of the continent (Canada), they had more muscular and denser skulls. They also had the largest teeth.
3 - Individual and regional variation
Based on what I saw, I'd say individual and regional variation in leopards could be more pronounced (and regionwise more acute) than in other big cats. Same for sexual dimorphism. The difference with other big cats is leopards, sizewise, do not show clear geographical patterns. One could, parhaps, make a bit of a case for a kind of cline in Asia, but I didn't see anything pointing towards a pattern in Africa.
I did, however, notice a positive correlation between average skull size and the presence of other large predators. Apart from Kruger and Zimbabwe, leopards living in regions that have no large predators often are larger than leopards living in regions that have. One could conclude that competition seems to be more important than, for instance, elevation, vegetation or availability of prey animals.
B - LENGTH AND WEIGHT
1 - Asia
A century ago or thereabout (1880-1940), male leopards shot in the Central Provinces averaged just over 7 feet in total length. Shri Lankan male leopards were very similar. Large individuals ranged between 7.4-7.8 (223,52-233,68 cm.) measured 'between pegs', but one shot in central India was 7.10 (238,76 cm.). This male, according to the one who had been on his tail for quite some time, had teamed up with a very old male tiger. Both were always seen together and they also hunted together. The longest male shot in Shri Lanka (Ceylon back then) also taped 7.10 'between pegs'.
The Maharajah of Cooch Behar and his guests bagged quite a few leopards in the last decades of the 19th century. The longest of them well exceeded 8 feet in total length measured 'over curves', but I doubt if even one reached 8 feet in total length measured 'between pegs'. Leopards shot in Nepal between 1930-1939 roughly compared.
Males shot in central parts of India averaged 120-130 lbs. (54,43-58,97 kg.), but large individuals turned the scales at 160-170 lbs. (72,58-77,11 kg.). Heavier males no doubt have been shot, but I never read a reliable report. I'm sure you're aware of the captive giant who apparently exceeded 100 kg. when he was caught, but I don't know what to make of it.
There's not much about Chinese leopards, but according to those in the know Amur leopards were a bit larger. The heaviest captured in Russia, not so long ago, well exceeded 60 kg., but most are smaller. Leopards shot in Vietnam were smallish, but those in Thailand and (the northern part of) Myanmar (Burma) are very similar to Indian and Shri Lankan leopards shot a century ago.
Leopards captured in northern parts of Iran seem to be the longest and heaviest of Asia today, but the difference with India, Shri lanka, Thailand and Myanmar is limited. Large individuals, however, are more often seen in Iran. Here's a photograph of a poached male leopard posted before:
*This image is copyright of its original author
Leopards captured in the extreme west of Asia are much smaller. Same for the Arabian peninsula. Javan leopards are a bit larger, but a century ago males exceeding 198 cm. (6.6) in total length were few and far between. Three males were 27 kg. (60 lbs.), 29 kg. (65 lbs.) and 39 kg. (87 lbs.). The Javan leopard I saw in the Zoologischer Garten (Berlin) a year ago, however, was a decent-sized male:
*This image is copyright of its original author
2 - Africa
There's not much from central parts of Africa, but male leopards in Kruger and Zimbabwe average 210-220 cm. in total length (6.11-7.3) and 58-61 kg. (129-135 lbs.). At that level (averages), they're about the same size as male leopards in India, Shri lanka and Thailand, perhaps a tad larger. They do, however, produce more exceptional individuals; the largest just exceed 200 lbs. (90,72 kg.) in weight and 8 feet (243,84 cm.) in total length (measured 'between pegs').
Leopards in Zambia and Tanzania, not that far away, are quite a bit smaller. I measured many skulls of leopards shot in Tanzania a century ago in the Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde in Stuttgart in 2012. Only very few male skulls exceeded 220 mm. in greatest total length, whereas the longest skull from Java was 231 mm. That animal was 198 cm. (6.6) in total length (measured in a straight line).
Leopards living in central parts of Africa (and elevated regions in northern Kenya in particular) could compare to Kruger and Zimbabwe leopards in most respects. Those living in the dense tropical forests in western parts of central Africa could be as large. There's evidence that some individuals hunt chimps and even gorillas. Leopards living at the edges of Africa (Cape Province and Eritrea) are much smaller.
3 - CONCLUSIONS
- Male leopards of large subspecies (northern Kenya, southern Africa, western parts of central Africa, Persia, Shri Lanka and Thailand) roughly compare in most respects (greatest skull length, body length and weight) at the level of averages. Although African hotspots seem to produce more exceptional individuals, the largest individuals in Asia (India and, in particular, Iran) almost compare.
- Although elevated and well-stocked regions seem to produce large animals more often, the correlation between elevation and size does not seem to be strong as the correlation between size and competition: apart from southern Africa, leopards living in regions without lions and tigers usually are larger than leopards living in regions where they face competition.
- Compared to other big cats, leopard show more regional and individual variation in size. Sexual dimorphism also seems a bit more outspoken. This is remarkable, as leopards are not as large and robust as the others. As can be seen in the table below, the differences between age classes (males) can be pronounced:
*This image is copyright of its original author
This is a Zululand male leopard:
*This image is copyright of its original author
- Although dismissed by many, there is some evidence of occasional alliances between leopards and tigers in India. India also is the only country where proof of a hybryd has been found.
- A century ago, leopards in some regions had a reputation as man-eaters. According to Jim Corbett, the Panar man-eater had killed about 400 (...) humans. He also hunted the Rudraprayag leopard, who was credited with at least 125 humans. The leopard below, also a man-eater, was shot not so long ago:
From Project Future4Leopards, 01 Aug. '17: Leopard rediscovered Heydari Wildlife Refuge is an important habitat for Urial wild sheep in northeastern Iran, near the city of Neyshabour. However, more than a decade has passed since the last evidence of a leopard was found there. That was in 2005, when a leopard was filmed by a group of foreign trophy hunters, but it has never been filmed since. In 2013 we conducted a quick survey in the area, within promising habitats where leopards could be expected. The prey population was depleted and poaching seemed to be a major issue. Not surprisingly, no signs of leopards were detected.
Then, luckily, in 2017 a leopard was reported again in Heydari, and this was supplemented by a picture taken by camera traps set by rangers. The image shows only part of the animal’s body and does not allow a better assessment of the individual’s characteristics, such as age or gender. Nevertheless, it definitely gives hope that bolstering conservation efforts in the area may be able to restore populations of both prey and leopard.
Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor)
