Record-breaking runs, swimming successes and theatrical tussles: These 13 beautiful photos reveal the leopard’s astonishing abilities

Record-breaking runs, swimming successes and theatrical tussles: These 13 beautiful photos reveal the leopard’s astonishing abilities

The enigmatic leopard is a master of stealth – but photographers are occasionally able to capture their striking beauty in the wild

Leopards can leap up to six metres forward and three metres vertically (credit: Getty Images)

Freya Parr

  • Leopards are elusive and unmistakeable – as dramatic in appearance as they are in personality. These big cats might be famed for their beautiful spots, but this feature actually makes them quite difficult to find in the wild.

Their spots – or “rosettes” – are an evolutionary adaptation to help them blend in with their environment, allowing them to hide from predators and stalk their prey, meaning that they can hunt both during the day and at night.

If you’ve ever wondered about the difference between cheetahs and leopards, it’s this: cheetahs are built for speed, while leopards are built for power. Step into the world of these remarkable predators with our gallery of images that celebrates their beauty, strength and mystery.

Beautiful photos of leopards

Leopard waiting in the grass camouflaged
Leopards rely on camouflage and surprise to get close to their prey before launching their powerful leap (credit: Getty Images)
One very small leopard cub with big eyes holding onto a thick tree branch looking scared in Kruger Park South Africa
A leopard cub in Kruger Park, South Africa. Leopard cubs are raised in dens for the first few weeks, before they begin venturing out, eating solid foods and playing with others (credit: Getty Images)
Leopard sleeping in tree
Leopards prefer to sleep in trees, as they offer a vantage point and a place to escape potential predators (credit: Getty Images)
Leopard running with blurred background
Leopards can reach speeds of 58 kmph (credit: Getty Images)
A leopard cub, Panthera pardus, stretches on a boulder in sunlight
A leopard cub stretches on a boulder in sunlight. Leopards don't tend to bask in the sun like other animals, as they are primarily nocturnal (credit: Getty Images)
A leopard walking through the water of the Savuti marsh, Chobe National Park, Botswana, Africa
A leopard walks through the water of the Savuti marsh, Chobe National Park, Botswana. Leopards are one of few cat species that enjoy being in water, and can even hunt in water, catching fish and crabs (credit: Getty Images)

Find out more about other big cats that like swimming here.

A mother leopard, Panthera pardus, walks down a dead log to its cub, paw in the air. Looking out of frame.
A mother leopard approaches her cub. Leopards learn how to climb trees from a young age, escaping danger, hunting for prey and improving their agility (credit: Getty Images)
A female leopard carries her cub by the scruff in the Maasai Mara, Kenya
A female leopard carries her cub by the scruff in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. Mother leopards carry their cubs by the loose skin on the back of their neck, as it doesn't cause them any harm. It triggers a reflex in the cub, causing them to go limp and make it easier for the mother to transport them (credit: Getty Images)
Leopard lounging in a tree
Leopard arising from its stupor in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Leopards sleep in trees for safety, and so they can survey their surroundings from a vantage point (credit: Getty Images)
Close-up of leopards on field
A pair of leopards in a tussle. Leopards fight over territory, competition for mates, and sometimes over food (credit: Getty Images)
A young leopard kitten faces the camera as it stands in the brown grass
A leopard cub stands in the long grass. Leopard cub typically separate from their mothers between 18 months and two years of age. Despite beginning the weaning process at three months, cubs stay with their mothers to learn survival skills (credit: Getty Images)
Amur Leopard in Lush Forest
An Amur leopard in a forest. Amur leopards are the world's rarest big cat, with only a small number remaining in the Russian Far East and northeastern China (credit: Getty Images)

Find out more about the Amur leopard and the world's other rarest cats here.

A leopard leaping across the blue sky
Leopards can leap up to six metres forward and three metres vertically (credit: Getty Images)

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