What Distinguishes The Leopard From The Cheetah?

The leopard is the largest of the African spotted cats, but the cheetah is generally slightly taller.

Unlike the cheetah's spots, which are solid black ovals or circles, the leopard's spots are only solid on its head, limbs and underparts. Over its back and sides the spots are, on closer inspection, rosettes made up of two to five small black blotches. Their pattern of spots is like a finger-print; no two leopards are truly identical, a fact that allows researchers to easily identify individual animals.

Leopards, unlike the cheetah, are infrequently seen in the wild as they are secretive, solitary and primarily nocturnal animals, preferring dense vegetation or rocky hills. Leopards are also much heavier built cats and have shorter legs than cheetahs.

The leopard has acute night vision, as well as highly developed senses of hearing and smell. In contrast, to the long legged sprinting of the cheetah, a leopard prefers to quietly stalk or ambush its prey.

Leopards are man eaters, cheetahs don't attack humans.