 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Leopards are one of those animals that manage to look graceful and elegant no matter what they do. Among the most widely distributed and successful of the big cats, they are found in much of Africa, south Asia, and into extreme southeastern Russia, where a few still survive in the same region as the Amur tiger. A few hang on in Israel and perhaps into Turkey. Throughout their wide distribution, leopards live in habitats ranging from deserts to dense tropical forests. Powerful, agile, and incredibly stealthy, they are superb hunters wherever they live. Melanistic 'black' leopards are rare in Africa but common in Asia; these are often called 'black panthers', but are simply a color morph (in good light, the familiar spotted pattern is still visible). These leopards are captives. |
|
|
|
