Modern Weights and Measurements of Leopards

[Luipaard]

Weights of 5 leopards in Zambia:

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

"All the collared leopards were weighed and showed as in other studies and observations a sexual dimorphism (♀: 30-33 kg; ♂: 48 -58 kg). Comments of several trophy hunters implied that the leopards of the Luangwa Valley are in general of small size and definitely much smaller than those occurring for example inside the Kafue National Park region in the west of Zambia. Further, I was told that although the collared male leopards would be very good trophies for this area, many leopards were shot during hunting safaris in the surrounding GMA’s that have been much heavier at about 70-80 kg. These, however, are weights based on visual observations and estimates, and not by weighing those hunted individuals. Weights of leopards seem to be very variable across their range. Other studies and observations report about males that weighed for example 35.5 kg (SCHALLER 1972) or 44.1 kg in India (SCHALLER 1972). PIENAAR (1969) reported that leopards in the Kruger Park seldom exceeded 59.1 kg and BAILEY (2005) accounts in the early 1970s weights averaged 63 kg from 5 male leopards and 37.2 kg from 6 female leopards inside Kruger Park. 63 kg as an average weight for males was also reported in Kenya (MEINERTZHAGEN 1938). 
In Zambia the heaviest male weighed by ROBINETTE (1963) was about 56 kg and by WILSON (1968) about 59.9 kg. The latter noted an average weight of 33.6 kg from six females. My sample size is possibly too small to give reliable statements, but the recorded weights in my study do not differ much from these previous reports from Zambia. The collared male leopards appeared due to visual observations huge and heavy and were sometimes also mistaken at night with lionesses. M1 was visual estimated at first to be 70 kg, before it was weighed. The fur also made them appear much bigger as they really were. According to these experiences I assume that professional hunters were probably also mistaken by just visual estimating the leopards’ weights.

The theory about huge differences in size between leopards of the Luangwa Valley and those of the Kafue region is lacking scientific data to support it. They could be of interest for further studies to determine actual weights. Interviews with Zambian hunters indicated that massive leopards estimated between 70 – 90 kg were shot in the hilly regions of the valley. STEVENSON-HAMILTON (1947) also described two leopard types inside the Kruger National Park region: a small leopard occurring in the hot lowlands and a larger leopard living in the hilly, high country."

Source: 'Ecology and population status and the impact of trophy hunting of the leopard Panthera pardus (LINNAEUS, 1758) in the Luambe National Park and surrounding Game Management Areas in Zambia' Reply