The African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus)
The African leopard exhibits great variation in coat color, depending on location and habitat. Coat colour varies from pale yellow to deep gold or tawny, and sometimes black, and is patterned with black rosettes while the head, lower limbs and belly are spotted with solid black. Male leopards are larger, averaging 60 kg (130 lb) with 91 kg (201 lb) being the maximum weight attained by a male. Females weigh about 35 to 40 kg (77 to 88 lb) on average.[citation needed]
The African leopard is sexually dimorphic; males are larger and heavier than females. Between 1996 and 2000, 11 adult leopards were radio-collared on Namibian farmlands. Males weighed 37.5 to 52.3 kg (83 to 115 lb) only, and females 24 to 33.5 kg (53 to 74 lb).The heaviest known leopard weighed about 96 kg (212 lb), and was recorded in South West Africa.
According to Alfred Edward Pease, black leopards in North Africa were similar in size to lions. An Algerian leopard killed in 1913 was reported to have measured approximately 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m), before being skinned.
Leopards inhabiting the mountains of the Cape Provinces appear smaller and less heavy than leopards further north. Leopards in Somalia and Ethiopia are also said to be smaller.
The skull of a West African leopard specimen measured 28.6 cm (11.25 in) in basal length, and 18.10 cm (7.125 in) in breadth, and weighed 790 g (1 lb 12 oz). To compare, that of an Indian leopard measured 28 cm (11.2 in) in basal length, and 20 cm (7.9 in) in breadth, and weighed 1,000 g (2 lb 4 oz)
The African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus)
The African leopard exhibits great variation in coat color, depending on location and habitat. Coat colour varies from pale yellow to deep gold or tawny, and sometimes black, and is patterned with black rosettes while the head, lower limbs and belly are spotted with solid black. Male leopards are larger, averaging 60 kg (130 lb) with 91 kg (201 lb) being the maximum weight attained by a male. Females weigh about 35 to 40 kg (77 to 88 lb) on average.[citation needed]
The African leopard is sexually dimorphic; males are larger and heavier than females. Between 1996 and 2000, 11 adult leopards were radio-collared on Namibian farmlands. Males weighed 37.5 to 52.3 kg (83 to 115 lb) only, and females 24 to 33.5 kg (53 to 74 lb).The heaviest known leopard weighed about 96 kg (212 lb), and was recorded in South West Africa.
According to Alfred Edward Pease, black leopards in North Africa were similar in size to lions. An Algerian leopard killed in 1913 was reported to have measured approximately 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m), before being skinned.
Leopards inhabiting the mountains of the Cape Provinces appear smaller and less heavy than leopards further north. Leopards in Somalia and Ethiopia are also said to be smaller.
The skull of a West African leopard specimen measured 28.6 cm (11.25 in) in basal length, and 18.10 cm (7.125 in) in breadth, and weighed 790 g (1 lb 12 oz). To compare, that of an Indian leopard measured 28 cm (11.2 in) in basal length, and 20 cm (7.9 in) in breadth, and weighed 1,000 g (2 lb 4 oz)