Leopards and Humans

Leopard and Human Relationship

Since the beginning of time there have been documents of the Leopard and Humans. It is really fascinating when you take a look back over various cultures in history and the connection they have with them. Many regard the Leopard as a powerful symbol and one that offers both wisdom and strength. In Africa the Leopard is a very common emblem for businesses, sports teams, and even the Coat of Arms.

The Ancient Egyptians as well as the Greeks have many stories and symbols that include this animal in them. There are early records of some high profile individuals in history keeping the Leopard as a pet. King John of London and Henry III are the most noted. There are people in our society today that think it is going to be an adventure to keep one as a pet. They fail to remember though that these are very dangerous creatures.

Many people take a young Leopard that they purchased from the black market and try to raise it as you would a domestic cat. They allow it to roam around their home and they play with it. As the animal gets larger though it has to be put into an enclosure. The small spaces there can often result in the animal becoming highly aggressive.

It can also be very expensive to house a Leopard as a pet. They consume large amounts of meat daily. In many areas it is illegal to keep them as pets. Yet people continue to hide them and that can be a huge risk. There are frequent stories about owners being injured or killed at the mercy of their pet Leopard. There are several zoos that have adequate housing for the Leopard and it is a common attraction for those that visit the facilities.

The stigma of many in society though is that the Leopard is a very dangerous animal. They don’t want to come into contact with one in the wild. They may want to take over the land where these animals live. Yet they don’t want to deal with them moving closer to residential areas or killing livestock.

Some people are in awe though of the Leopard and have a desire to see them in their natural setting. They will travel to India for guided safaris where they get a personal look at these animals in the wild. Before you get too excited though they can be well hidden so even in areas where they are known to be abundant you may not have a good visual of them on such a safari.

The Leopard has been noted to kill and to eat humans from time to time. Most often though they will simply run away. However, if they feel that they are threatened such as when a mother is out with her cubs it can be fatal for the human. Sometimes they are simply mistaken for prey too.

Some studies though show that when regular food sources are hard to come by the Leopard may begin to hunt people in villages or areas close by. Once they get a taste of it they may continue to look for more. They may prefer it over their normal food sources and that can result in serious problems.

In the past there have been large numbers of the Leopard killed due to the wonderful fur that their bodies offer. There was once a demand for fur coats and other times. Today that isn’t’ a very lucrative market so it doesn’t happen as often. Poaching does occur though to eliminate them and so that their young can be taken and sold on the black market.