Leopard Cub Practices Its Hunting Skills by Stalking Its Mother and Playing With Her Tail
Young ones learn from watching those who go before them. And in the wild, it is no different. Young animals must learn at a very young age what it takes to survive in the wild. Unlike humans, who have 18 years with their kids to train them how to survive on their own, animals have a few months to train their young ones.
And in many cases, a few months is too long. Many young animals die before they have the opportunity to reach adulthood. Approximately of all cubs die within their first year. To go even further than that, the Wild Facts states the following.
“Unfortunately the mortality rate of leopard cubs is very high, and usually only 1 or 2 survive the first year. Being very good mothers, the female will keep her cubs with her until they are fully independent (roughly 2 years).”
Leopard Cub Hunting Skills
At the start of this video, we see a baby leopard who is very intent on whatever is in front of him. We see him slowly approaching what he is trying to hunt down. We feel a moment of pride watching this young practicing the hunting skills that he most likely learned from his mother.
We see this leopard cub lower his body, and we know that he is ready to pounce. The moment that he pounces, we can’t help but chuckle. This baby leopard is hunting his mother’s tail. The mother is unfazed by her young one. She allows him to play with her tail as she watches out for oncoming danger.
What Do Leopards Hunt?
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Leopards (Panthera pardus) of the genus Panthera are carnivorous eaters. And as such, they will hunt such as baboons, hares, rodents, , lizards, , warthogs, fish, and beetles.
Like most animals in the wild who are predators, they take their time in hunting. They are patient and wait for the perfect moment to strike. As we can see from this little leopard cub, he was taught to wait and be patient before striking out.
You will often find that leopards are listed among some of the greatest hunters in the wild. They are listed among the king of the jungle, the , and then the fastest land animal, the cheetah.
