Leopard Directory

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I put this here too since this is a study concerning leopard mortality.

This is one interesting study concerning leopards and lions. While leopard distribution and abundance weren´t affected by lions (at least not much), lions still killed almost 1/4 (23%) of adult leopards and over 1/5 (22%) of leopard cubs. Study area was Sabi Sands game reserve, South Africa. Demographic data concerning leopards was from 1975 to 2015.

It´s quite interesting study to read. One interesting part was, that leopards killed only 3% of lion cubs (I had thought, that it would be a bit more) and oldest lion killed by a leopard was only 7 months old cub. Worst enemy of a lion cub was another lion, lions were responsible of almost 70% of lion cub mortality themselves. What comes to adult lions, lions were responsible over 70% of adult lion mortality. So worst enemy of a lion is another lion, no matter if cub, juvenile or adult.

When looking at adult leopards, worst "enemy" of a leopard is "natural causes" (diseases, starving), then come lions and another leopard is on the third place with human caused mortality. With cubs another leopard takes the first place by approximately 50% of known cases, then come lions. And almost even with lions are combined all other species killing leopard cubs, when leopards and lions are excluded.

Mean age of lions killed by leopards was 0,22 years (range 0,08-0,58 years). Mean age of leopards killed by lions was 2,71 years (range 0,08-16,59 years).


Photos of a lioness killing a 3 years old male leopard:

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

An adult lioness attacks and kills a 3-year-old male leopard in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa (photo credit: Liam Rainier).

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author


Known causes of mortality for juvenile (<2 years) and independent (≥2 years) lions and leopards in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa, from 1975 to 2015. Sample sizes are presented in parentheses. “Interspecific—other” includes animals killed by species other than lions or leopards, usually by other predators (e.g., spotted hyaenas, Nile crocodiles) or prey (e.g., buffalos, chacma baboons). “Malnutrition/disease” includes lions and leopards that were malnourished and disappeared soon after (normally old individuals (i.e., ≥16 years) or juveniles that were orphaned), as well as individuals that were known to die from disease (e.g., sarcoptic mange). “Other” includes natural causes of mortality such as drowning and fire. “Anthropogenic” includes lions and leopards killed by people, typically when they ranged beyond the reserve into surrounding communities.

Quote:"Intraguild killing

We ascertained cause of death for 52% of lion mortalities (n = 333) and 45% of leopard mortalities (n = 433) (Figure 4). Conspecifics were responsible for the greatest percentage (lion: 69%; leopard: 40%) of known-cause mortality for both species. Leopards accounted for 3% of known-cause juvenile lion deaths (n = 121); leopards were not recorded killing lions older than 7 months. Lions accounted for 22% of known-cause leopard cub deaths (n = 152) and 23% of independent (≥2 years old) leopard deaths (n = 44). The mean age of lions killed by leopards was 0.22 ± 0.12 years (range = 0.08–0.58 years), while the mean age of leopards killed by lions was 2.71 ± 0.75 years (range = 0.08–16.59 years)."


Link to the study: https://academic.oup.com/beheco/article/28/5/1348/4004701 Reply