Beware of the Leopard Trivia Quiz

Answer: Panthera pardus

Under the Mammalia class of the animal kingdom, there is a family Felidae. Under this family, the big cats belong to the genus Panthera. The lion is called Panthera leo, the jaguar is called Panthera onca, the leopard is called panthera pardus and the tiger is called the Panthera tigris.

There are many other subspecies of leopards like the Indian leopard, called Panthera pardus fusca, and the African leopard named Panthera pardus pardus. Other types of leopards are the Arabian leopard and the Persian leopard. The North African leopard tends to be the biggest of all the subspecies.

Answer: True

A black panther may be anything from a jaguar to a leopard to a tiger. The black appearance is cause by a phenomenon called melanism. In a leopard, it is caused by a recessive allele. Melanism is a disorder of pigmentation on which the skin of the animal darkens giving a black appearance. Melanistic leopards are often caught and have survived in captivity.

Usually, the color of a leopard's fur is golden brown with distributed rosettes of a dark color like black. But it may be black because of melanism, as explained.

Answer: Take the kill up a tree to keep it safe

Leopards are one of the largest cats that have the skill to climb. They are known to climb high up in trees for safety and rest. They also take their kill up in the trees to keep it away from scavengers like hyenas and sometimes even lions. Leopards are also usually solitary animals and spend most of their time alone, in their own territory.

Although possessing the ability to swim, they rarely come in contact with water bodies unless for food.

Answer: Helps in maintaining balance during chases and hunting

The leopard's tail is an interesting appendage of the leopard's body which helps it to maintain balance during high speed chases and to change direction suddenly during hunts. It also helps in maintaining balance during climbs. A mother leopard also uses her tail as a kind of trailing guide for her children.

There is a white tip at the end of the tail that the cubs can find and follow easily and not fall back. A leopard's tail can be as long as its entire body.

Answer: Sense of hearing and vision

Leopards don't have an advanced sense of smell. They use their advanced sense of hearing to find prey during night times. They are able to sense the sound of even a rodent squeaking at a pretty considerable distance. After spotting prey, they use their brutal strength to pounce on a prey and kill them by giving a bite on the neck.

Leopards aren't exclusively nocturnal but do have most of their activity at night.

Answer: Fruits

The leopard being a carnivore feeds exclusively in the manner of a predator. Having a taste for anything from a dung beetle to a porcupine to a gorilla, leopards are known to adapt and hunt according to their choice of prey. They even feed on fish and birds from time to time. Leopards, in the wild, stalk their prey and pounce on it or swat it.

Answer: False

The Amur leopard carries the scientific name Panther pardus orientalis. The Persian leopard carries the name Panther pardus saxicolor. The Amur leopard is an extremely rare species confined to places like Russia and the Persian leopard to places like Turkey.

Answer: Leopards don't have a tear line below their eyes while cheetahs do.

Leopards and cheetahs are often mistaken for each other. There are many differences between a cheetah and a leopard. Primarily, leopards have rosettes on their fur while cheetahs have spots. Cheetahs are smaller and lighter, and maybe taller than a leopard. Leopards are strong and heavy. Cheetahs have a distinct tear line below their eye while leopards don't. Cheetahs are fast runners while leopards are good climbers and not vice versa. Cheetahs are usually social animals while leopards roam in solitude.

Answer: By the smell of their urine

A female leopard use the smell of their urine to attract males. She rubs the scent on her body. She then proceeds to mate with the male and they may be together for a while before she gives birth. The gestation period of a female leopard is around 101 days, give or take. Around three to four cubs may form a litter.

They stay with the mother for as long as two years before they move on after learning survival skills from their mother.

Answer: Human encroachment upon territories and poaching

Leopards are an endangered species and are generally confined to only certain parts of Africa and Asia. Although they are highly adaptable animals and can live in a variety of climates, they have been hunted down for their valuable coats and other parts by humans, so much so that their numbers have dropped down in recent times. Human encroachment upon their territories has also caused their numbers to reduce due to displacement. Conservation of their habitat and their species is the only way to remove them from the endangered list.