Leopards live up to 15 years in the wild and 23 years in captivity. Leopards face many threats in the wild. The biggest threat to leopards comes from human beings. People kill leopards for various reasons. On the other hand, the habitat loss primarily caused by people also threats the survival of leopards in the wild.
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For most of time during the first two to three months, baby leopards remain in hiding in the den especially when the mother leopard goes out hunting. The baby leopards start to eat meat when they are about six weeks old.
Juvenile leopards can follow their mother on hunting trips when they are about two to three months old. Their mother’s milk begins to reduce, and they are weaned when they are about three to four months old. They start to learn hunting and tree-climbing skills around this time.
A leopard cub is born with its eyes closed and with faintly spotted smoky gray furs. Newborn leopards can open its eyes about seven to ten days after birth and can walk in about two weeks.
By the age of one, young leopards can hunt up to medium-sized animals independently. They start to leave their mother and find and establish their own home ranges when they are about 18 months old. Most of young leopards become fully independent by the age of two.
A leopard is fully grown up and becomes an adult at around age three even though some female leopards start their first mating at two years old. Male leopards usually have their first chance to mate at about three or four because they face more competition from other males.
