Cheetah vs Leopard: What Is the Difference
Brenda Bliss
Cheetah vs Leopard: What Is the Difference
Native to Africa, both cheetahs and leopards belong to the cat family. Because of their spots, they may seem alike at first sight, however, there is more difference between them than what meets the eyes. Unlike cheetahs that are solely native to Africa, leopards also inhabit other parts of the world like Asia.
How to tell the difference between a cheetah and a leopard.
Like we established earlier, although the cheetah and leopard maybe similar at first glance, there’s a lot more difference between them than what meets the eyes. Let’s look at some of the ways you can differentiate one from the other.
Spots pattern and facial features.
Since their spots are one of the features that makes one fail to identify them, let’s start off with them.
With a solid black spot scattered across its coat is a cheetah that also happens to have black tear lines on its face running from the inner corners of its eyes down to the mouth. Cheetahs also have beautiful amber or brown eyes with smaller teeth and rounded faces.
On the other hand, leopards have yellow rosette spots with clusters of light fur at the center. They have more elongated facial features and powerful jaws with green or blue eyes.
Leopards are generally shorter but heavier than cheetahs who are leaner in nature. However, cheetahs are not true big cats because they can not roar and do not belong to the panther genus.
Difference in Spot pattern
Speed and strength.
With a lean, aerodynamic frame, cheetahs are bult for speed capable of reaching speeds up to 75 mph. their speed is supported by the fact that they have larger nasal cavities allowing them to take in more oxygen while running.
Their enlarged lungs and heart help sustain the bursts of speed with semi-retractable claws for better traction. This makes them win the title of the fastest land animal in the world.
However, leopards are stockier and shorter designed for power rather than agility. Though much slower than cheetahs capable of sustaining speeds of up to 36 mph, they make up for it with stealth and sheer strength.
This enables them to haul prey heavier than them up into the trees keeping their kill safe to themselves and away from scavengers. Their claws are retractable enabling them easily climb trees.
Cheetahs though fast lack the strength to defend their meals and often lose their catch to hyenas or lions.
Cheetah running
Hunting strategies.
Stalking their prey before pouncing with force, leopards rely on ambush tactics and sometimes attack from trees. Using their superior night vision which is about seven times stronger than human’s, leopards usually hunt at night. After a kill, they drag their prey into trees securing themselves a meal for later.
On the other hand, cheetahs also stalk but depend on their speed to chase and trip their prey eating as quickly as they possibly can before scavengers arrive. This is because they do not have the strength to defend their prey from scavengers like hyenas and lions. Relying on their keen eyesight and agility, cheetahs hunt during the day.
Both these spotted cats kill with a bite to the neck, however, cheetahs take longer to get the job done.
Cheetah eating
Social Behavior.
When it comes to social structure, both leopards and cheetahs are quite similar in a special way. The females of both species are solitary. However, the difference comes in with the males.
The male cheetahs often form small groups with their brothers while male leopards remain independent, staking out their own territories.
Cheetah with its cubs
Habitat and range.
While both species inhabit parts of Africa, leopards also live in Asia with a much wider range. Living in forests, deserts, swamps and mountains, leopards are more adaptable while cheetahs prefer open plains where they have enough space to run due to their agility.
The open spaces also help them see clearly
Leopard lying on a tree
Life Cycle
Among a lot of other things, a cheetah and leopard differ in their gestation period and litter sizes. With a gestation period of about 90-95 days, cheetahs typically breed during the dry season giving birth to litters of 4 to 6 blind cubs weighing 150-300 grams which are kept hidden for the first month.
Both the male and female cheetahs may mate with more than one partner.
Leopards on the other hand breed all year round with a gestation period of about 90-105 days. This doesn’t differ much with that of a cheetah however, they have a smaller size of litter of bout 2-3 cubs that are also born blind.
Weaned at three months, the cubs are born weighing 150-300grams and they stay with their mothers until they are about 13-18 months old.
When it comes to mating, leopards are generally vey solitary animals with interactions limited to mating and mothers caring for their cubs.
Life span.
Cheetahs tend to have a shorter life span compared to leopards living for about 8-10 years in the wild. Leopards on the other hand live for about 12-17 years in the wild.
What they eat.
They are both carnivores’ depending on their opportunistic hunting skills to obtain their varied diets. Due to their sheer strength, leopards are capable of taking down prey twice their size. On the other hand, cheetahs limited by strength only prefer smaller antelopes such as impalas.
Although leopards prefer to hunt down larger prey, they also eat fish, birds and even insects in instances where there is scarcity which makes them highly adaptable
Cheetah feeding
Conservation status and threats.
Leopards are classified as Vulnerable, with some subspecies critically endangered, such as the Amur leopard found in Asia, which has fewer than 100 individuals left in the wild. Cheetahs on the other hand have lost 50% of their numbers in the past 40 years. This has primarily been caused by loss of much of their habitat only allowing survival of fewer than 7000 adults. Leopards have also lost much of their habitat
Both face threats from habitat destruction, poaching, trophy hunting, and human-wildlife conflict. Cheetahs struggle with low genetic diversity, making them more vulnerable to disease. Leopards on the other hand though more adaptable, have also lost large portions of their historical range.
Wildlife organizations are working to protect both species, but their survival depends on conservation efforts to address habitat loss, poaching, and human encroachment.
To better understand the differences between a cheetah and leopard, below is a table that summarizes all of them.
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Difference in eyes
| Feature | Cheetah | Leopard |
| Body build | Slim, light weight, long legged | Stocky, muscular, powerful |
| Speed | Up to 75 kmp | Up to 36 kmp |
| Spots | Solid black spots | Rosettes with light centers |
| Facial Markings | Black tear lines from inner eyes to mouth | No tear lines |
| Tail | Long and flat for balance | Thick and round for climbing |
| Hunting style | Chase and trip prey | Stalk and ambush prey |
| Activity time | Mostly daytime | Mostly night time |
| Climbing | Rarely climb trees | Expert climber |
| Killing methods | Suffocate with a throat bite | Powerful bite and strength |
| Food | Prefer smaller prey | Prefer larger prey |
| Sight | Weaker night vision thus the daytime hunt. | High superior night vision seven times stronger than human thus the night hunt |
| Reproduction | Gestation period of 90-95 days giving birth to 4-6 cubs | Gestation period of about 90-105 days giving birth to 2-3 cubs |
| Life span | Live up to 8-10 years in the wild | Live up to 12-17 years in the wild |
Best places to see Cheetahs and Leopards
Are you ready for the best cheetah and leopard encounter in the wild? Then Africa is your go to place with the best places to visit being Serengeti National Park especially the Ngorongoro Conservation area in Tanzania.
Due to their landscape, Masai Mara and Laikipia plateau are the best to consider in Kenya while In Uganda they can easily be spotted in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Other beautiful places to visit for the same cause maybe South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe
This is because their landscape highly supports the livelihood of both cheetahs and leopards.
Cheetah in the Wild
Best time for a Cheetah and Leopard Encounter.
Although both cheetahs and leopards can be spotted throughout the year in any given park that they inhabit, the best time to visit for an ultimate encounter with them is during the dry season specifically from May to September.
This is because the animals all gather at the available water sources which makes them easy targets to predators who are eagerly waiting for the slightest opportunity to secure a meal. Also, the short grasses make them quite easily visible.
To conclude, an encounter with these majestic spotted cats in the wild is an experience worth all the time in he world. The thrill of witnessing them hunt for food especially during the day time drive is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Ready for your encounter with the cheetahs and leopards in the wild, reach out to our extremely experienced and professional team at Serengeti Mara Experts today to have your mind-blowing adventure arranged.
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