A LEOPARD STORY 2of 5 (1995)

All rights belong to NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

A female leopard raises her cubs in the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya.
As one knows there are plenty of dangers, and the ferocious battle between predators and prays or predators and other predators only leaves the strongest and luckiest alive.
It's a moment to admire the life and nature of the leopards. The camera also films a family of warthogs, which have exactly the same problem to deal with as the leopard: survive.
Other protagonists are the lions, hyenas, impalas, elephants... Many scenes occur by night. The leopards try to survive by being elusive, stay mostly on trees and hidden, or fight back when it's possible. Great stuff.


Masai Mara wildlife
Wildebeest, zebra and Thomson's gazelle migrate into and occupy the Mara reserve from the Serengeti plains to the south and Loita plains in the pastoral ranches to the north-east from July to October or later. Herds of all three species are also resident in the reserve.
All members of the "Big Five" are found in the Masai Mara, although the population of black rhinoceros is severely threatened, with a population of only 37 recorded in 2000. Hippopotami are found in large groups in the Masai Mara and Talek rivers. Cheetah are also found, although their numbers are also threatened, chiefly due to tourist disruption of their daytime hunting. As mentioned above, the plains between the Mara River and the Esoit Oloololo Escarpment are probably the best area for game viewing, in particular regarding lion and cheetah.
As in the Serengeti, the wildebeest are the dominant inhabitants of the Masai Mara, and their numbers are estimated in the millions. Around July of each year these ungainly animals migrate in a vast ensemble north from the Serengeti plains in search of fresh pasture, and return to the south around October. The Great Migration is one of the most impressive natural events worldwide, involving an immensity of herbivores some 1,300,000 wildebeests, 360,000 Thomson's gazelles, and 191,000 zebras. These numerous migrants are followed along their annual, circular route by a block of hungry predators, most notably lions and hyena.
Numerous other antelopes can be found, including Thomson's and Grant's gazelles, impalas, topis and Coke's hartebeests. Large herds of zebra are found through the reserve. The plains are also home to the distinctive Masai giraffe as well as the common giraffe. The large Roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox, rarely present elsewhere in Kenya, can be seen within the reserve borders. The Masai Mara is a major research centre for the spotted hyena. Additionally, over 450 species of birdlife have been identified in the park, including vultures, marabou storks, secretary birds, hornbills, crowned cranes, ostriches, long-crested Eagles, and African pygmy-falcons.



leopard facts

1) Conservation status (IUCN)
-------------------------------Near Threatened---------------------------------
AFRICAN LEOPARD, occurs across most of sub-Saharan Africa
INDIAN LEOPARD, is widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent
INDO-CHINESE LEOPARD, mainland Southeast Asia & southern China
All increasingly rare outside protected areas. Populations are decreasing

---------------------------------Endangered-------------------------------------
PERSIAN LEOPARD, fewer than 871-1,290 mature ind., declining pop.
SRI LANKAN LEOPARD, Sri Lanka
NORTH CHINESE LEOPARD, Northern China

------------------------------Critically Endangered----------------------------
JAVAN LEOPARD, from 350-700 to 250 or even 100 mature individuals.
ARABIAN LEOPARD, less than 200 in 2006, pop. decreasing.
AMUR LEOPARD, support at: http://www.amur-leopard.org . With 30 in the wild, it is the most endangered big cat species on Earth. ALTA is implementing a wide series of projects to save the species


2) Human threat
Habitat loss.
Killed for commercial reasons (fur ...), leopard-human conflict, hunt for fun. Kept unfree (zoos..., in small cages without vegetation + exhibited all day to another species). Used as tourist attractions. Petted. And surely others...


3) Small description
opportunistic hunt, adaptability to habitats, max speed 58 kms/h (36 mph), ability to climb trees even with heavy carcass, stealth.
Its habitat ranged from rainforest to desert terrains. Elusive, solitary and largely nocturnal, it had to compete for food and shelter with predators such as lions, tigers, spotted hyenas, African & Asiatic wild dogs.

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[HistoryHmoobGuy]

LEOPARD = ULTIMATE CAT

They survive almost everywhere on earth !, and also the Lynx family

[bluepeas510]

Omg! Why dont hunters hunt hyenas so theyll b near extinction & the big cats can eat in peace?!! ..friggen thieves! spotted hyenas (not brown hyenas) on somebody elses kill r like NYC roaches on crack ..n they loooove crack

[webGweb]

This is very nice indeed - that leopard is a real beauty. Thanks so much for your effort!

Unfortunately, part 1 cannot be accessed from the UK ('content blocked by National Geographic').

:-((