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African Savanna Leopard: Underrated Big Cat?
African Savanna Leopard: Underrated Big Cat?
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African Savanna Leopard: Underrated Big Cat?
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I have been browsing various forums and threads.
I have even searched up some animals on Wikipedia. It seems many people doubt the Savanna Leopard's capabilities. From this forum: (09-08-2014, 05:17 AM)Pantherinae Wrote: First of all. I'm not wrong when I'm not proven wrong pckts. Not once have that happend! And I'm okey beeing wrong, if proven so. But on The rhino thing and different stuff I'm not, and can't You be okey with me not beeing proved so easaly! You should not belive everything You read neiather. (06-27-2014, 09:37 PM)Pantherinae Wrote: Pantherinae Wrote:leopard kills cheetah! It's amazing that a cheetah can kill bigger prey than leopards, atleast what we have caught on tape, and leopards do have such little problem with killing a cheetah, https://wildfact.com/forum/topic-felines-hunting From another forum: Quote: Cougars are known to take elk and big horn sheep as prey . So in a fight to the finish , the Cougar will defeat the leopard . https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/animalsversesanimals/african-leopard-vs-cougar-t3893.html From Wikipedia: Quote:Although cheetahs and leopards also prey on greater kudus, they are unable to bring down a bull, and consequently target the more vulnerable cows and offspring. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_kudu Quote:Though leopards do not usually feed on equids as in Africa, this may be because Persian leopards are larger and strong enough to prey on Asiatic wild asses.[9][10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onager So what do you guys think? 
I don't think they're being underestimated. It's just that they serve a different role in the ecosystem compared to other populations/subspecies where they've evolved as an apex predator.
They'll usually avoid larger prey since it requires much energy and the risk of losing the kill is high, resulting in energy wasted. That's why they focus on impala's which are easier to subdue (and easier to lift up a tree, away from scavengers). However, that first part you quoted is of course false: Quote:i'ts not that I'm saying a leopard can't kill a zebra or wildebeest, but I don't think it can ever happen. They can and it did happen more than once. For example, here's Tingana back when he was in his prime with an adult blue wildebeest he took down all by himself:  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author And here's a leopard with a freshly killed kudu, looks full grown  *This image is copyright of its original author
(10-05-2019, 12:26 AM)Styx38 Wrote: @ You were quoting quite old posting. A lot of information has been posted later and it should be obvious for all, that leopards are more capable to kill prey than cheetah, when hunting alone. I haven´t noticed, that leopard would have been underrated lately. What comes to hunting, they have preferred prey which are smaller compared to what lions hunt, but sometimes they are able to kill surprisingly big animals. (10-05-2019, 11:15 AM)Luipaard Wrote: I don't think they're being underestimated. It's just that they serve a different role in the ecosystem compared to other populations/subspecies where they've evolved as an apex predator. 1. Nope. They are straight up denying or dismissing the Leopard's capability. That's why I posted wikipedia and forum posts. 2. That's a Kudu cow or subadult. Wikipedia mentions that they are unable to take down Kudu bulls Anyway, Leopards killing Kudu Bulls: *This image is copyright of its original author *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author *This image is copyright of its original author Leopard killing a Bull Kudu in the Sabi Sands Female kills two adult bulls. "A small female whose contribution to the leopard populations of Londolozi and the surrounding areas is as enduring as her will to survive. Independent from 10 months of age, she has come full circle and mastered the environment which is now her territory. Her mastery extends from survival to territorial defence to hunting. So efficient is her hunting ability that she was recently able to bring down two Kudu bulls in rapid succession." https://blog.londolozi.com/2010/09/20/maxabeni-brothers-chased-off-kudu-kill/ @ Again, there is a huge difference between animal focusing mostly on small prey with occasional big kills vs. the animal not being able to pull out. As I posted, wikipedia is going with the latter opinion From Wikipedia: Quote: Wrote:Although cheetahs and leopards also prey on greater kudus, they are unable to bring down a bull, and consequently target the more vulnerable cows and offspring. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_kudu Quote: Wrote:Though leopards do not usually feed on equids as in Africa, this may be because Persian leopards are larger and strong enough to prey on Asiatic wild asses.[9][10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onager ^ Both these statements make it sound like the Leopard of Africa is weak. Pay attention to choice of words like "unable" or "Persian is large and strong enough"(like the Savanna version is too weak).   *This image is copyright of its original author Kenya's Hulk. Masai Mara National Reserve. sachin_rai_photography 
Is not that the leopard is underrated, is just about ecology.
Normally, the leopard is not the dominant predator in most of them habitats, that place belongs to tigers and lions. In this case, leopards are fully capable of kill larger prey than them and they do it, just like any Panthera member, but as they live under social domination of the bigger cats, they then to avoid confrontation and competition killing smaller prey and exploting a differnt ecological niche. This is well studied in India and Thailand. Now, that doesn't mean that in some cases they do kill big prey, even in the shows of they bigger cousins. They do it, just like other posters had show it, but normally that is not the case, based in the ecological level that they normally choose. Pumas, on the other size, do not have bigger cats competing with them and they are the largest felid in north America (at least after the extinction of the jaguar). I will like to know if those pumas that hunt big prey live with wolves near to them, specially because they are the only true competitor in the wild. I don't think that bears are direct competitors, although a big one can steal a kill from time to time, I guess. 
Leopards are capable of killing prey larger than themselves, however, due to not being an apex predator in their region (which belongs to the tiger or lion), the spotted cat generally prefers to avoid confrontation and kill prey smaller than themselves. A leopard is not as willing to risk injury because any that could hinder its hunting abilities and make it starve to death.
Leopard's can be deadly fighters if cornered or wounded by their general response would be to avoid confrontation compared to apex predators like tigers, lions, and even jaguars. 
Leopards can kill 900 kg eland bulls
A cougar is a kitten when compared to the leopard The leopard is underrated  (01-30-2020, 10:34 PM)LazarLazar Wrote: Leopards can kill 900 kg eland bulls There is a big difference between an Adult Male Eland and a 900kg Adult male Eland. Same with all animals, for instance the video you posted of a Lion killing a Cape bull, that bull is small, no where near the size of a alpha bachelor bull like this  *This image is copyright of its original author Just because an animal "can"get to a certain size doesn't mean they all are that size. More often than not, they're much more modest in size and the real monsters are few and far between. and Cougars kill just as large of Prey as Leopards *Elk & Moose*, so I'd suggest you leave the "VS" comparison out of it. |
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