Leopards in Akagera National Park

Leopards in Akagera National Park is located in Eastern Rwanda covering an area of 1,122 square kilometers along the international border with Tanzania. It was founded in 1934 by the Belgian government that occupied Rwanda at the time. Akagera National Park is managed by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

A lot of activities can be done in Akagera National Park including game drives and this is the main way to explore the park and its wildlife. Different animals are spotted during these game drives and these include leopards. Below are interesting facts about leopards of Akagera national park;

Leopards are classified under the cat family hence solitary animals. In most cases when leopards are moving together, one is female and the other is male. This is so common during the mating season. Leopards are believed to mate between 70-100 times a day and their gestation period is 3 months after which one or two cubs are likely to survive

Leopards are known to be predators. They are always ready to ambush in times where the prey moves into their direction. They are known to kill the prey in a rapid violent action by shattering it. This is done when they have come close and targeted well. Leopards are also known to be consumers of vertebrates like warthogs, fish, reptiles, wildebeest and antelopes.

Males weigh between 35-70 kilograms while females weigh between 20-60 kilograms. Despite the fact that they are the smallest members in the big cat family, they can carry up to 60 kilograms of prey to a tree by themselves. They are known to survive in any environment flexibly. They are known to be the most unpredictable animals to track during game drive because they are solitary and tend to move through tall grasses and thickets.