Leopard Paw

Leopards have five toes on their front paws and four toes on their rear paws. The paw pads are surrounded by short, thick fur that helps the leopard keep its balance on slippery rocks and in trees. Both pads and this extra fur also help the leopard sneak up silently on prey.

Like all members of the cat family, leopards seem to be walking on their tiptoes. This is called digitigrade walking. Leopards actually walk on soft, cushioning pads underneath their toes and on the soles of their paws. They can stalk prey quietly and get very close to the prey without being noticed. Leopards can run as fast as 40 miles (65 kilometers) per hour in a short distance.

Other than walking and running, leopard’s paws are deadly weapons for prey. The leopard uses its strong paws to grab its prey firmly and give a fatal bite at back of the neck or at the throat of the prey. The leopard can also capture fishes in streams with their paws.

Leopards are stealthy animals who try to avoid people as much as possible. As a matter of fact, they are hardly seen by people, but their paw prints leave trace of their presence.