Community Magazine June 2014

84 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE The Leopard Leopards are graceful and powerful big cats, closely related to lions, tigers, and jaguars. They live in sub-Saharan Africa, northeast Africa, Central Asia, India, and China. However, many of their populations are endangered, especially outside of Africa. M ost leopards are light colored with distinctive dark spots that are called rosettes, because they resemble the shape of a rose. The rosettes are circular in east African leopards but square in southern African leopards. The leopard is the smallest species in the family of big cats, but compared to its size (leopards usually weigh between 100 and 160 pounds), its strength is extraordinary. Pound for pound, it is the strongest climber of the large cats and capable of killing prey larger than itself. A leopard can climb as high as 50 feet up a tree, while holding a dead animal in its mouth, even one larger and heavier than itself! One leopard was spotted dragging a 220-pound young giraffe into heavy brush to hide it. Leopards are nocturnal animals, meaning they are active at night. During the day, they rest in caves, thick brush, or in trees. Leopards are solitary, preferring to live alone. They can live without drinking water, getting the moisture they need from their food. Leopards hunt at night. They use their vision and keen hearing while hunting, not their sense of smell. Leopards stalk and pounce, but don’t usually chase their prey long distances. Leopards can also hunt from trees, where their spotted coats allow them to blend in with the leaves until they spring with a deadly pounce. They grab their prey or swat it, using their retractable claws. Prey is killed with a bite to the throat. Leopards growl and spit with a screaming roar of fury when they’re angry, and they purr when they’re content. They announce their presence to other leopards with a rasping or sawing cough. They also leave claw marks on trees to warn other leopards to stay away from somewhere. When it’s time for a rest, leopards like to climb trees and sprawl out on the branches. Torah Talk The leopard isn’t the largest of the big cats. It’s not feared as a king of beasts. It’s not the fastest, either. Rather, the leopard is persistent. It is also intelligent and strong, and is an extremely resilient and adaptable hunter, which is reflected by the huge area through which it is dispersed. Our Sages of blessed memory describe the leopard as “az.” In Pirkei Avot (5:23), Yehuda ben Taima advises us to be az k’nameir, bold as a leopard, in order to carry out the will of our Father in Heaven.