CHUI AKA LEOPARD

Chui is the Swahili name for the leopard.

The leopards are one of the most impressive hunters on the face of the earth. Looking quite docile as they tend to cubs or relax in the shade, leopards can spring into motion at a moment' notice, reaching top speeds of up to 37 miles an hour. They are graceful and powerful at once, and many revere them for their utter beauty. To escape the mid-day heat, many a leopard in Africa takes to a cave or a tree, and it' quite a treat to see one of these creatures draped over a tree branch. Since leopards are solitary animals, preferring to avoid other leopards, you likely won't see groups of them during a leopard safari. Thankfully, the African leopards are so attractive that seeing just one by itself is enough to generate a significant feeling of satisfaction.

The leopard is solitary and territorial; individuals associate appreciably only in the mating season, though mothers may continue to interact with their offspring even after weaning. Mothers have been observed sharing kills with their offspring when they cannot obtain any meal. Fathers may interact with their partners and cubs at times.

Male leopards, which generally range between 44 and 198 lbs. are bigger than their female counterparts, which on average weigh anywhere from 37-132 lbs. Leopards are strong climbers, in fact they are the strongest climbers of all the big cats. Should you witness a kill on a leopard safari, quite often the prey is larger than the leopard, which really gives insight into how powerful these animals really are.

The leopard is distinguished by its well-camouflaged fur, opportunistic hunting behavior, broad diet, and strength. As well as its ability to adapt to various habitats ranging from rainforest to steppe, including arid and montane areas

Leopards communicate with each other in tall grass using white spots on their ears and tails. They also produce a number of vocalizations, including growls, snarls, meows and purrs. The roaring sequence in leopards consists mainly of grunts and is also known called "sawing", having been described as resembling the sound of sawing wood. Cubs are known to call their mother with a urr-urr sound.

The leopard is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because leopard populations are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and are declining in large parts of the global range. Leopards are hunted illegally, and their body parts are smuggled in the wildlife trade for medicinal practices and decorations.

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