Leopards are the Most Prized Kenya Safari Sighting

Leopards are both one of Kenya's "Big Cats" that also include lions and cheetahs and the "Big Five" that also include lions, rhinos, elephants and buffaloes.

Safaris into the numerous Kenya national parks often revolve around sighting each of these animals.

Kenya is lucky to be home to 2 species of this gorgeous cat - the spotted and black (melanistic) one...

The spotted one has rosettes on a coat which is fawn at the spine but gradually lightens toward the belly. And as the name suggests, the black leopard is pitch black and is often referred to as a black panther.

Be sure to check out our leopard pictures if you have even an iota of doubt as to these animals' stunning beauty.

Behavior

Notorious for their nocturnal inclination, alertness and stealth, these cats are hard to spot and are a prized sighting during a Kenya safari.

These Kenya animals are territorial to a T, marking their turfs with urine and claw marks. The sound typically associated with them is that of a snarl, which is like a saw being moved back and forth. However, they also roar, growl and purr (they are cats after all!).

Diet

These "Big Cats" are carnivorous. They typically suckle for the first 8 weeks of their lives after which their mothers introduce them to meat. Their diet ranges from birds, rodents and antelopes to monkeys and baboons.

Their spotted coats act as a perfect camouflage, enabling them to blend in with leaves and grass until they pounce, with deadly precision, on their unsuspecting prey.

To prevent lions, hyenas and scavenging birds from snatching their hard-earned meals, they drag their kills up trees where they can feed on them in peace for a couple of days.

Habitats in Kenya

Compared to their melanistic counterparts, the spotted leopards are well-dispersed in the country.

The Kenya national parks that contain sizeable populations of this spotted "Big Cat" are Masai Mara National Reserve, Mount Kenya National Park and Aberdares.

However, your best bet for seeing this stunning spotted carnivore is the Samburu National Reserve.

Located in arid northern Kenya, the less visited (and therefore less crowded) Samburu reserve rewards the intrepid traveler with generous sightings of this "Big Cat," along with those of Kenya animal species that are unique to this parched belt, such as the reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich and distinguished gerenuk.

If Nairobi is your pit stop, Nairobi Safari Walk offers an interesting prelude to the real thing and you can practice your hide and seek games with the facility's resident feline here.

The black panther is concentrated around Mount Kenya, with Mount Kenya National Park and Aberdare National Park presenting the best opportunities for spotting (no pun intended) this Kenyan rarity.

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