What is the difference between a leopard and a cheetah and a jaguar? Black panther - jaguar or leopard. Description of the breed. But that's not true
A leopard (leopard) is an animal that belongs to the class mammals, the order Carnivora, the cat family, the subfamily big cats, and the genus panther.
International scientific name: Panthera pardus (Linnaeus, 1758).
The Greek word πάνθηρ, from which the word “panther”, another name for the leopard, comes, consists of two stems: πάν (everything, everywhere) and θήρα (beast, predator), that is, literally “full-fledged predator”. Although there is an opinion that the word “panther” comes from the Sanskrit pundarikam - “tiger”, “yellowish beast”. Prefix leo from Greek Λέων indicates a relationship with a lion. In Rus', the leopard was known as the leopard, pard and pardus, although the last two names also applied to another animal - the cheetah. The word leopard, which is also used to call this type of mammal, is of Turkic origin.
A leopard can also attack a person. But man-eating leopards are much less common than tigers and lions that attack people. Only an old or sick animal can do this. A healthy and young animal attacks a person only if it is wounded.
A leopard eats up to 20 kg of meat per day. Having killed large prey, it feeds on it for another 4-5 days. Only after this does the leopard go on its next hunt.
Leopards drink a lot, especially after eating. In this regard, they always settle in places where there is constant water. Cats usually go to water at night.
In addition to animal meat, leopards eat grass to clear their gastrointestinal tract of hair that they ingest while grooming their fur.
Cheetah on the left, leopard on the right
What is the difference between a jaguar and a leopard?
The body structure of both animals is similar. But the body of a jaguar is more massive, stocky and strongly built: the animal looks more solid and strong-boned compared to a leopard.
The jaguar has a shorter tail - 70-91 cm. In the leopard it reaches 110 cm.
Unlike a leopard, a jaguar's head is larger and looks more massive.
The leopard's jaws are smaller and narrower than those of the jaguar.
The difference between a leopard and a jaguar can be seen in the animals' spots. The spots on the skin of a jaguar are similar to those of a leopard, but are larger in size. In addition, the jaguar's coloring seems brighter. What unites the animals is that they can both be melanistic, that is, black (though with spots slightly visible against the black background), and the name “black panther” can be applied to both the jaguar and the leopard, because both of these animals belong to the genus panther.
The leopard's maximum speed is 60 km/h. The Jaguar is faster: it can reach speeds of up to 90 km/h.
The jaguar differs from the leopard in its habitat: it lives in southern North America, Central and South America, and the leopard lives in Africa and Asia.
The diet of both animals is approximately the same, but the jaguar is an excellent swimmer and supplements its diet with fish, frogs, turtles and even small alligators. The leopard swims well, but reluctantly, and rarely eats fish. But, in addition to land dwellers, it eats monkeys and other animals that live in trees.
Another difference between a jaguar and a leopard is that the leopard hides its uneaten prey in a tree or grass, while the jaguar buries it in the ground.
Pregnancy in a female leopard lasts up to 90 days, in a jaguar it lasts 100-110 days.
Above is a North Chinese leopard, below is a Brazilian jaguar. Top photo credit: Rufus46, CC BY-SA 3.0. Bottom photo credit: Charlesjsharp, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Leopard hunting
Leopards, like other predators, are useful in that they destroy sick animals and curb the growth of pest populations, such as monkeys.
People hunt the beautiful spotted cats for their valuable fur, and also destroy them due to predators attacking livestock. But, basically, leopard populations are decreasing due to human economic activities and, accordingly, changes in the leopards’ usual habitats. In some areas the leopard is on the verge of survival, and in others it has been completely destroyed. But, nevertheless, in most of its range the animal successfully survives thanks to its ability to successfully hunt and adapt to any living conditions. In some countries, leopards are also killed for fun.
This mammal is one of the so-called “big five” animals - favorite objects of sport hunting, among which are the lion, elephant, buffalo, rhinoceros and leopard. To achieve this, an international organization that monitors issues of trade in endangered wild species of animals and plants allocates quotas for the shooting of leopards. This does not reduce the population of these predators. States receiving these quotas care about the conservation of the species.
- Female leopards keep their cubs with them for quite a long time, especially the male ones. They stay with their mother for 2 months longer than girls. The longer a female is followed by her brood, the fewer kittens she will give birth to during her life.
- Because leopards love to eat dogs, scientists fear the spread of distemper, a disease that affects dogs, among them.
- The leopard, or leopard, has always been a cult animal among ancient peoples. In Asia, idols and sanctuaries were erected in his honor. For many African tribes, the leopard is considered a sacred totem. But the predator achieved its greatest reverence in the society of leopard people. This secret society existed, and perhaps still exists, in Africa.
- African tribal kings usually wear leopard skin. By this they show that they have the strength, agility, and speed of this animal. They inspire terror in their enemies. Other members of the tribe cannot wear this robe, as it threatens them with death.
- The leopard has a “namesake” among marine mammals - a predator from the genus of seals, which is called the leopard seal for its characteristic spotted coloring and fame as a dangerous hunter.
- The white leopard (also known as the snow leopard) is not a light-colored leopard at all, but a separate species of mammal. It is called the snow leopard and lives in the mountains of Central Asia.
- The Bengal cat breed, which is a hybrid of a domestic and a Bengal cat, is very similar to a leopard. By the way, this breed has a very developed hunting instinct, and the cat’s character combines the temperament of a domestic animal and a wild animal.
- In medieval heraldry, the image of a camelopard, a hybrid of a camel and a leopard, was often used. The animal, symbolizing courage and zeal, was depicted with the body of a leopard and the head of a giraffe, on which 2 horns grow.
- Clouded leopards also belong to the cat family. They live in southeast Asia and represent a separate genus within the family.
Leopard, panther (Panthera pardus) is a species of mammal from the cat family. The fourth largest cat in the world (after the tiger, lion and jaguar). Leopards live in Africa and Asia. These animals live mainly in dense, humid forests and prefer to stay close to water.
The leopard is an animal that is distinguished by its graceful and flexible body, long tail and paws with large claws. The leopard has a very beautiful spotted color, which makes it attractive. The main color of the coat is considered to be a red tint, which gradually turns into white on the underside of the body, where the leopard’s belly is located.
But among animals there are breeds that are distinguished by increased pigment in their fur; then the animals are distinguished by their dark color, on which spots are practically invisible. Such leopards are called panthers. The fur of such animals is distinguished by its thickness and shortness. Their wool is very valuable and is used as a finishing material.
Panthers are much smaller and lighter than lions or tigers, which makes them ideal for climbing trees. They spend a lot of time there, sleeping and relaxing in the branches. They often drag prey into trees when they hunt so that hyenas and vultures do not disturb them.
Leopard is the most mysterious cat
Leopards are the most mysterious of all big cats. These animals are so careful and vigilant that even in nature reserves it is difficult to track their lifestyle.
The fur color of these predators helps them hide in the foliage of trees and grass and makes leopards almost invisible. There are also black specimens.
The black coloration of panthers is a manifestation of melanism caused by a gene mutation and is characteristic only of females, with rare exceptions. The black coat is not perfectly black; to a greater or lesser extent, visible spots are always visible on it.
Leopard and jaguar - comparison
The leopard is often confused with the jaguar. , unlike leopard cats, is very muscular, although they are similar in appearance. In fact, the leopard has a stronger structure. He has longer and slimmer legs and a thin chest. A jaguar can be distinguished from a leopard by the black spot in the center of the rosette on the skin. Leopards and jaguars live in different areas in the wild.
Leopard and jaguar - comparison. The leopard, like a cat, leads a solitary lifestyle. Often, you can’t even hear how the leopard moves, since it does it on its soft paws. This animal madly loves to camouflage itself among grass and trees. And he does this well due to his spotted color. Leopards go hunting only at dusk, and sit in shelter all day. But if a leopard sees prey in front of it, then it can go hunting in the daytime.
The leopard is the great hunter of the earth's fauna. The leopard's diet consists of ungulates, namely antelope, roe deer, gazelles and wild pigs. There are also areas where leopards feed on monkeys, reptiles and rodents. If they have nothing to eat, they can also attack birds, but this happens extremely rarely. Animals disdain carrion and eat it only in the most extreme cases.
The leopard lies in wait for prey in a shelter, stealthily crawls close to it and pounces on it with large leaps.
Listen to the voice of the leopard
- Leopard and panther are the names of the same animal.
- Leopards are very strong. They can lift a victim heavier than themselves into the crown of a tree.
- Panthers climb down from tree trunks upside down.
- Black panthers also have spots on their fur, but they are difficult to see.
- The favorite food of young leopards is baboons.
- Each individual has a unique mottled pattern by which they can be identified.
- The black panther is more aggressive than other leopards.
- Leopards can jump up to 7 meters.
- Different types of leopards can vary greatly in size and color.
Tree is the leopard's favorite resting place Leopards Size:
- Body length from 100 to 150 cm (record 190 cm)
- Height from 60 to 80 cm
- Weight: 60-80 kg (for females) and 70-90 kg (for males)
- Tail length up to 110 cm
- Life expectancy in the wild is 12 years (record 17 years), in captivity 25 years.
Leopard breeding
"Wild cat" resting on a tree. Leopards breed regardless of the season, but the exception is animals living in the north.
The female's pregnancy lasts three months, usually she bears three babies. For her cubs, a female leopard chooses a secluded place, most often in dense thickets.
The cubs are born completely blind, but they grow very quickly and very soon they independently leave their den for a walk in order to explore the world. Young children stay with their mother until they are one and a half years old, during which time she brings them wounded animals and teaches them to hunt.
Adult leopards have almost no enemies, since they are hidden from other animals. The main opponents of leopards are hyenas, lions, tigers and wolves. All these animals can attack young leopards and take their prey. But it is still extremely difficult to take prey from leopards, since they hide it in the trees.
During a hunt, a leopard can be injured by a buffalo. But often, such situations occur either with young or inexperienced animals.
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After many years of photographing wildlife, I'm used to people confusing animals. I don’t know why, but cheetahs and leopards are most often confused. I'm powerless here. These are two cats so different that it is difficult to confuse them. But with jaguars and leopards it’s completely different...
Jaguar and leopard are very close relatives. At a minimum, they are representatives of one genus of the cat family - panthers. But if other representatives of the panther genus - lions and tigers - have a very individual appearance, then the jaguar and leopard are really very similar. Although, if you understand this issue once, you will never confuse them again, because in fact they are very different.
Let's find differences not only visual:
1. The most noticeable difference is that a jaguar has large spots on its skin and, accordingly, fewer of them than a leopard.
2. The jaguar itself is larger, but this is noticeable if you put them side by side, which is impossible in the wild, because...
3. ... because the jaguar lives in the southern part of North America and South America, and the leopard lives in Africa, Asia and the Far East.
4. The leopard's muzzle is more “flattened”. In the jaguar it has a more “canine” shape.
5. The head of a jaguar is also more massive than that of a leopard.
6. The leopard's tail is noticeably longer than that of the jaguar.
7. The jaguar swims well. Leopards can also swim, but much worse.
8. In the fight for a female, leopards can engage in combat, which jaguars do not do, since in jaguars the female herself chooses a male for mating.
9. The jaguar is more aggressive and stronger than the leopard. They (jaguars) attack humans more often, although this is probably caused by the behavior of the person himself...
Now let's consolidate our knowledge by studying the photographs!
Jaguar:
And now the leopard:
Cheetah, leopard and jaguar are some of the large cats that live in Africa, Asia and America.
Species affiliation
All of these predators belong to the cat family, but only the jaguar and leopard are considered close relatives. Both of these species belong to the subfamily of panthers, or big cats. The scientific concept "Panthera" should not be confused here, meaning a separate genus of felines, and the word “panther”, common among non-specialists, which means large black cats.
Member of the genus Panthera, in addition to the jaguar and leopard, there are also tigers, lions and marbled cats from the island of Sumatra. All four of these big cats are close genetic relatives, sharing a common ancestor. But the designation of large “brunette” cats, or scientifically, “melanistic” cats, with the word “panther” is completely erroneous.
The black color of the coat is not determined by species, but by a genetic mutation. That is, in nature there is no such animal “panther”, but there are leopards, jaguars, and even lions and tigers with black fur.
Simply put, black color is not a species characteristic here at all, just like domestic black cats are not a different species of animal than white cats. The rarity of melanistic cats in the wild is explained by the difficulty of survival of a predator devoid of protective natural coloring.
The cheetah, unlike the jaguar and leopard, is to the second subfamily of felines– small cats. In addition to the cheetah, this includes the puma, snow leopard, lynx, and all types of domestic and wild cats that are not included in the panther subfamily. It should be noted that the concepts of “big” and “small” cats are very relative. For example, the Sumatran marbled cat, a member of the panther family, is slightly larger than the average domestic cat.
But such representatives of “small” cats as pumas, cheetahs or snow leopards are practically not inferior in size to the same leopard, and sometimes even exceed it. The whole point here is not in size, but in genetic differences– “small” cats descended from one ancestor, and “big” cats from another.
Meanwhile, due to the specific coloring - black spots scattered on a yellow background - and approximately the same size, people far from zoology often confuse the cheetah with a jaguar and a leopard.
Photo: Appearance of a cheetah, leopard and jaguar
Cheetah
The cheetah is today the only one that has survived to this day, representative of the genus Acinonyx- a specific species of cat.
Acinonyxes, separated from the main branch of the cat family about 2.5 - 3 million years ago. In those distant years, all existing species of cats, from small forest cats to giant cave lions and saber-toothed tigers, used the ambush method for hunting.
The predator lay in wait for its prey, hiding in a tree or in thick grass, and when the opportunity presented itself, it made a deadly leap. As a last resort, he could pursue prey for a short period of time, as long as he had enough strength and speed.
Unlike other cats, both large and small, Acinonyxes followed a different hunting path - chasing prey in open space. By the time Acinonyx appeared, this method of hunting had long been successfully used by predators from the canine family - wolves and wild dogs.
Probably, such a transition from ambush to driven hunting was a forced measure provoked by climate change. As paleontologists suggest, about 3 million years ago a hot, arid climate established on the earth, as a result of which semi-desert steppes began to occupy significant areas.
As a result, some of the primitive cats that found themselves in unfavorable natural conditions simply died out, while the other part was forced to adapt to changing conditions and become excellent runners.
It was no longer possible to hide and set up an ambush in the steppes covered with low-growing vegetation and a complete absence of trees. Therefore, only predators with fast legs could feed themselves. It is precisely these running cats that Acinonyxes turned into. Initially, things went pretty well for the new breed of cat.
The cheetah and its relatives were able to spread quite widely throughout the Old World - starting from Western Europe to China from west to east, and from South Africa to Siberia from south to north.
So, 2-1 million years ago there existed, at least, 5 types of Acinonyx, including the modern cheetah. The largest of them reached the size of a modern lion and could hunt very large herbivores that inhabited the ancient steppes - horses, deer, bulls.
However, about a million years ago, the era of ice ages began, accompanied by sudden climate change. For the second time, representatives of the Acinonyx genus were unable to adapt to global natural disasters and changes in landscape and fauna. As a result, by the end of the last glaciation (30-10 thousand years ago) 4 out of 5 species of Acinonyx cats became extinct.
And the only surviving species, the cheetah, was then on the verge of complete extinction. As genetic studies have shown, all modern cheetahs descended from hundreds, or even a dozen individuals that accidentally survived, and after the end of the Ice Age, they repopulated Africa and Asia.
But the consequences of closely related ties are noticeable in cheetahs even today: weak offspring, weakened immunity in adult animals, high mortality among cubs.
The specifics of the lifestyle have imposed your imprint and appearance cheetah, sharply different from all other cats. His build is more like a hound dog than a cat.
The cheetah has a slender, lean body, practically devoid of fat deposits, a small head - the whole figure is subject to the laws of aerodynamics, which allows it to develop a truly unique speed. In open space, cheetahs are capable of speed up to 115-130 km/h.
According to this indicator, they have no equal in the animal world. In addition to the aerodynamic structure of the figure, the cheetah has large lungs in relation to the overall body size. This contributes to more efficient breathing during high-speed pursuit of prey.
Hunting technique unique to cats cheetahs. He, practically without hiding, approaches the intended victim, and when the distance is reduced to a minimum, he makes a dash, trying to use his advantage in speed when catching prey.
During the pursuit, the cheetah runs huge, 8-meter leaps. Its acceleration speed can be envied by a modern sports car: in 3 seconds the cheetah reaches speeds of up to 110 km/h.
At this time, its lungs produce up to 150 breaths per minute. The cheetah's claws have lost the ability to retract into the paw, and are used as spikes to prevent slipping during sharp turns. The body of the animal has a coloring characteristic of many wild cats - black spots are scattered on a yellow background.
Leopard and jaguar
Leopards and jaguars, unlike cheetahs, are to the "big cats", along with the tiger and lion. The main difference between them is their habitat.
The leopard inhabits exclusively the Old World - Africa, Asia, and until recently, Europe. The jaguar is endemic to the American continent. The common ancestors of leopards and jaguars originally lived in Asia, where they separated from lions and tigers about 12 million years ago.
After this, these large cats were able to populate the neighboring continents - Africa and Europe. From those representatives of the “panther” genus that migrated to Africa, the modern leopard emerged about a million years ago. Later, after 500 thousand years, leopards were able to settle throughout Asia - from the Middle East to Primorye.
According to genetic studies, the jaguar and leopard are closest relatives among felines. Probably the common ancestor of both cats is approximately 3.5 million years ago. moved to America along the land isthmus located on the site of the modern Bering Strait.
After the disappearance of the land bridge, the American panther population was isolated, and gradually evolved into a separate species - jaguars.
The physique of both a jaguar and a leopard traditionally for cats: relatively short legs, long, squat and graceful body. The color is also not original - a yellow background and black spots applied on it.
Both types lead similar lifestyle hunting his victims from ambush, using the effect of surprise. In this regard, both of these species are very difficult to distinguish for a person who is not a professional zoologist. There are much more differences between leopards/jaguars and cheetahs.
Photo: Differences between cheetah, leopard and jaguar
Differences between cheetahs, leopards and jaguars
Between these three types of cats There are several differences. Some of the distinctive features are clearly striking, while others are noticeable only to specialists.
All three species are approximately similar in size, although the jaguar is slightly larger than its other two relatives:
- Jaguar: body length – 1.9 m, height – 0.75 m, weight – up to 150 kg.
- Leopard: body length – 1.8 m, height – 0.75 m, weight – approx. 75 kg.
- Cheetah: body length – 1.4 m, height – 0.9 m, weight – 65 kg.
As you can see, the jaguar has the most massive physique, and the cheetah is the most slender and light animal. In addition, in profile the figure of a cheetah is almost square, while that of a leopard and jaguar is elongated and squat.
The jaguar's head is the largest in relation to the size of the body, and the cheetah has the smallest head among the cats compared.
Leopards and jaguar climb trees well, helped by sharp claws that retract into their pads when at rest. The cheetah's claws act as spikes on the shoes of runners or football players. Due to this, they have practically lost the ability to retract.
Photo: Color of cheetah, leopard and jaguar
The color of the animals also varies. If the background body color of African-Asian cats - cheetah and jaguar - is light yellow, then their American relative is bright red or orange. Thanks to this background, the jaguar looks much brighter in comparison. The size and shape of the spots are also different in all three animals.
The cheetah's skin is decorated with simple black spots of round or oval shape. The spots on the leopard's body are collected in peculiar black rosettes, in the center of which the background fur is colored more brightly - red or orange.
Jaguars have similar black rosettes on their skin, but inside each of them there is another black spot.
The color of the muzzle of these animals is also different: The cheetah has vertical black stripes from the corners of the eyes down, along the sides of the nose and along the cheeks.
This is where the external differences between these three animals end. All that remains are the behavioral and genetic characteristics of each species.
The most noticeable difference between the two can be seen on their faces - cheetahs have unique black tear stripes running down from the inner corners of their eyes to their nose, while leopards do not have this pattern. The spots on the skin of these animals are also different, if you look closely. The pattern consists of spots collected in rosettes, with a dark background inside, and in the cheetah, clear patterns do not form regular ring patterns.
These cats also differ in size: the cheetah is slender and graceful, has practically no fat deposits, only muscles. It has a small head and small rounded ears. The average weight of a cheetah is about 50 kg, the body length is up to 140 cm including the long one. The leopard is more massive, allows the presence of excess fat due to natural laziness, its body length reaches 250 cm, weight - up to 70 kg. Cheetahs have longer legs, which make them the recognized speed champion among land mammals. In addition, it has peculiar claws - the cheetah is the only member of the cat family that is not able to retract them.
Habitat
The cheetah is critically endangered, with the largest populations found in Namibia, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania. Due to a misunderstanding, the cheetah was previously considered dangerous to livestock and people and was exterminated by all means. Leopards live in Africa, India, and Central Asia. This animal is occasionally found in our country in Transcaucasia, Primorsky Krai and in the mountains of Central Asia. In Africa, a significant part of leopards live in thickets of thorny bushes, giving way to the cheetah in the meadows.
Lifestyle
The cheetah is considered one of the most peaceful big cats. They almost never attack people, unlike leopards. Lions, tigers and cheetahs often appear in circuses, while leopards appear extremely rarely. These freedom-loving cats are cruel, vindictive and cannot be trained. African hunters consider the leopard the most dangerous predator for humans.
The cheetah hunts due to its incredible speed; it can accelerate to 115 km/h within a few seconds. But such a sprint requires enormous energy expenditure and does not last long - if the cheetah cannot quickly overtake the prey, it stops pursuing. Leopards hunt by waiting in ambush or sneaking as close to their prey as possible, then jumping and strangling it. Leopards usually try to drag their prey higher to ensure its safety, but cheetahs do not do this. Leopards tend to hunt at dusk so they can be hidden from their ambush. The cheetah prefers to hunt during the day, so it is easier to catch up with the prey. Leopards are solitary by nature and hunt alone. Cheetahs may well go out hunting in a pack.