Before reading on try to zoom in on the leopard‘s eyes. That’s intensity!
There are nine recognised subspecies of leopards including African, Indian, Javan, Arabian, Amur, North Chinese, Caucasian (also called Persian), Indochinese and Sri Lankan.
After today’s adventure in Yala National Park in Sri Lanka, I have seen three of the nine sub-species, namely African, Indian, and Sri Lankan. What does it mean that they are sub-species? Basically, they are geographically isolated races, but still part of the same species, so, like human races, if members of the sub-species met they could mate and have viable offspring.
There are an estimated 700,000 leopards of the African sub-species in existence, making this sub-species of leopard the most abundant. The first picture below was taken in 2019 right in front of Arathusa Safari Lodge in Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa. The second picture is an African leopard from Moru Kopjes in Serengeti National Park, also taken in 2019.
The two pictures below show the Indian sub-species. Both pictures were taken at Jawai, Rajasthan in February 2023. There are an estimated 14,000 leopard in India, many of which live in close proximity with humans. For more colour on the relationship between people and leopards in Rajasthan see my recent blog post “The Leopards of Jawai”.
Finally, the leopard below is a fine member of the Sri Lankan sub-species. The picture was taken in Yala National Park on 25 February 2023. This is a very large powerful male, which was stalking a water buffalo. There are about 800 Sri Lankan leopards alive today.
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