Rainforest Leopards

[Sully]

"Here is a picture of a big male camera trapped by Dr. Henschel in Gabon. This looks like a very old leopard with a very pronounced dewlap and loose skin who has probably lost condition. Although, not bulging with huge muscles this male still gives the impression of being incredibly imposing, his head looks like it belongs on a male lion! One after another these Gabon males fail to disappoint.

*This image is copyright of its original author

And just for comparison, an adult female also camera trapped in the same region of Gabon. This not a cub or subadult, it was identified as an adult female by Dr. Henschel! The sexual dimorphism in these leopards is very extreme.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Unfortunately, most of central Africa (and West Africa) is composed of very unstable countries which have been devastated by horrific civil wars over the past few decades. With broken infrastructure and continuing chaos photographic safaris like those in relatively stable countries in East and Southern Africa are obviously not high on the list of priorities. Furthermore, a demand for bush meat and the ready supply of guns from these wars makes for a very bad combination and the wildlife populations in these great forests have suffered tremendously. In the rainforests of Nigeria and Cameroon for example, leopards are almost extinct. Luckily, there are some exceptions like Gabon which are fairly stable and have managed to preserve their wildlife. That is why it's primarily from Gabon that we have pictures of these impressive forest leopards."

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