Leopard Lessons
En Español
Cuddling with her mother, this leopard cub has much to learn. Her mother will teach her some important lessons. She’ll learn others on her own.
A LITTLE EXPLORER
The leopard cub was only eight days old when we spotted her. Her steps were still unsteady. Yet she was bold.
She should have been scared. Predators had killed five other cubs. Would they get this one too?
They did not. We followed this cub for almost four years. We watched her grow up and learn to live on her own. We named her Legadema. That means “light from the sky.”
Legadema faced danger from the start. Baboons tried to kill her and her mother. Lions longed to eat her. That didn’t stop the curious cub from exploring her world.
HOMESCHOOLING
Legadema’s mother sometimes left to find food. The cub had to learn to stay safe. Monkeys spotted her and screeched. Squirrels called out. Those noises could have drawn predators. So the cub learned to hide.
From her mother, Legadema learned to kill prey. After all, these cats live by hunting. Leopards snack on small rodents. They chase zebras and other animals. They even eat dead animals.
Her mother showed her how to pin down prey. She taught her to turn an animal into a meal. These are skills a leopard needs to survive.
MAKING MEALS
After five months, Legadema’s mom brought her a gift. It was a baby impala. The cub played with it like a toy. Then she attacked it.
Legadema did not really know what to do with it, however. Her mom had to teach her how to eat it.
After that, the cub ran after squirrels. She played hide-and-seek with them. The games sharpened her hunting skills. She ate hundreds of squirrels and larger prey.
LEAVING HOME
Leopards find safety in trees. One day, though, the cub slipped. Her mother kept her from falling. They looked glad to be safe together.
Things changed when Legadema was 13 months old. She refused to share food, so her mom drove her out. The cub had to live on her own.
At first, she lived close to her mom. Little by little, though, she found her own territory. She lived and hunted by herself now.
SURPRISES
Legadema soon surprised us. She killed a baboon. That was unusual. Leopards generally fear baboons.
The baboon had a baby, which reached out for help. The cub cared for the baby. She took him to a safe place in a tree. Still, the baby died.
Today Legadema is four years old. She has found a mate. She may have cubs soon. She will teach them the same lessons her mother taught her.
Article by Dereck Joubert. Top-of-page photo by Beverly Joubert. "Leopard Lessons" appears on pages 10-15 of the April 2007 issue.
|
