Maternal Love!
Depending on the region, leopards may mate all year round. The estrous cycle lasts about 46 days and the female usually is in heat for 6 - 7 days. Gestation lasts for 90 to 105 days. Cubs are usually born in a litter of 2 - 4 cubs. Mortality of cubs is estimated at 41 - 50% during the first year.
Females give birth in a cave, crevice among boulders, hollow tree, or thicket to make a den. Cubs are born with closed eyes, which open four to nine days after birth. The fur of the young tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. Their pelage is also more gray in colour with less defined spots. Around three months of age, the young begin to follow the mother on hunts. At one year of age, leopard young can probably fend for themselves, but remain with the mother for 18 - 24 months.
The beautiful Luluka, female Leopard, gave birth to a cub 6 months ago. They normally move their dens so as to keep other predators away from the cub. Luluka was seen holding her cub in her jaws and moving dens nearly 3 kms away. Photographed during a photography safari on an early morning game drive in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.
Maternal Love!
Depending on the region, leopards may mate all year round. The estrous cycle lasts about 46 days and the female usually is in heat for 6 - 7 days. Gestation lasts for 90 to 105 days. Cubs are usually born in a litter of 2 - 4 cubs. Mortality of cubs is estimated at 41 - 50% during the first year.
Females give birth in a cave, crevice among boulders, hollow tree, or thicket to make a den. Cubs are born with closed eyes, which open four to nine days after birth. The fur of the young tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. Their pelage is also more gray in colour with less defined spots. Around three months of age, the young begin to follow the mother on hunts. At one year of age, leopard young can probably fend for themselves, but remain with the mother for 18 - 24 months.
The beautiful Luluka, female Leopard, gave birth to a cub 6 months ago. They normally move their dens so as to keep other predators away from the cub. Luluka was seen holding her cub in her jaws and moving dens nearly 3 kms away. Photographed during a photography safari on an early morning game drive in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.