Raising a Leopard Cub

A leopard cub is the embodiment of youthful wonder and untamed potential. Its spotted coat glistening in the sunlight, it sits with an air of curiosity as its eyes scan its environment.

As newborns, leopard cubs suckle until they are around twelve weeks of age when their mothers will start to introduce meat scraps into their diet. At this point, they will be introduced to the savanna and its predators.

Female cubs usually start to move away from their mother at about 18 months of age but males may stay close to mom for up to 2 years before they start to carve out their own territory. This is because young males are at a higher risk from competing rivals, especially during the mating season.

Leopards are solitary hunters, so they raise their cubs alone. This makes them vulnerable to threats like snakes and human beings who want to kill them for their skin or horns or capture them for zoos and wildlife sanctuaries. This makes it incredibly important for young leopards to have their mother’s territory and protection to keep them safe.

Successfully raising leopard cubs involves a lot of strategising by their mothers. They will often have to hide their young in a safe place so that they are not at risk when she is out hunting.