Leopard
Ingwe

© Shem Compion

Igama

Ingwe [iPanthera pardus]

Ibonakala kanjani

Izingwe zinamabala amnyama phezu kwesikhumba esiphuzi sagolide. Zinamabala amnyama emzimbeni nasenhloko Imisila yazo imhlophe ngaphansi. Leli kati likhulu, linamandla kunengulule. Ubude bomzimba nekhanda buphakathi kuka-1.6m no-2.1m, kanti umsila uwu-0.68-1.1 m. Izinsikazi zincane, zinesisindo esiwu-17 kuya ku-16kg, kuthi izinkunzi zibe wu-20 kuya ku-90kg. Ubude bazo buwu-700 kuya ku-800mm emahlombe. Lo mzingeli wasebusuku uyikati lesibili ngobukhulu lase-Afrika.

Zidlani

Izingwe zivame ukudla izinyamazane ezincane kodwa ziyaziwa nangokudla izimfene, izimpungushe nezilwane ezihuquzelayo (uxamo nezingwenya). Ngezikhathi zesomiso, zidla izinambuzane namagundwane. Zikwazi ukuphila ngaphansi kwezimo eziningi kangangokuthi zikwazi ukuphila nasemaphandle asemadolobheni nawasemakhaya.

Zizala kanjani

Amawundlu azalwa noma nini onyakeni ngoba azinasikhathi sokukhwela. Amawundlu azalwa ngemva kokumithwa izinyanga ezintathu nohhafu, kanti izinsikazi zizala amawundlu amabili noma amathathu ezisulwini ezisesikhotheni esicinene. Amawundlu ahlala nonina unyaka wonke, lapho efunda khona indlela yokuphila ehlane nokuzimela.

Aphila kanjani

Ziyalala zicashe emini, zizingele ebusuku, nakuba kwezinye izindawo zizingela emini. Indlela ezizingela ngayo wukucuthela, nokugxumela, zibulale inyamazane ngokuyincisha umoya emlonyeni. Izinyamazane ezincane zilunywa ngemuva okukhubaza umgogodla. Zichutha isikhumba sezinyamazane ngaphambi kokudla izindawo ezithambile zayo. Okusalayo nokwangaphakathi kwembozwa ngotshani nesihlabathi.
Zingompetha bokucaca izihlahla kanti uma kunombango wenyamazane nezinye izilwane ezidla, ibekwa emajukujukwini esihlahla esikhulu. Izinkunzi zilwela indawo yazo engaba nezinsikazi ezimbili noma ezintathu. Izinsikazi zilwela izindawo zazo, zibanga nezinye.

Zihlala kuphi

Izingwe zimelana nezimo zezulu ezehlukene, ngakho zitholakala ezindaweni eziningi. Zitholakala ezindaweni ezisogwini nasemahlathini aqhele olwande ngo-2 000m, ogwadule, emahlathini, ezintabeni nasemadwaleni. Aziphili ngamanzi. Lo mpetha wokucathama ucasha ngezikhotha ezinkulu noma ngamadwala. Noma sezinciphile kodwa ziyatholakala ezintabeni nasezikhotheni eNingizimu Afrika, ngaphandle kwasezindaweni okufuywe kuzo.

Zitholakala kuphi

Izingwe zingabonwa ezindaweni zazo zemvelo njengaseziqiwini eziningi iNingizimu Afrika yonke. Kuzona kubalwa i-Kruger National Park, iMpumalanga nePilanesberg National Park e-North West. Ezinye ezincane ziyatholakala ezintabeni zoKhahlamba naseziqiwini ezincane ezizimele iNingizimu Afrika yonke.