Leopard cubs

The Mother leopard will be pregnant with two or three cubs at a time. Her gestation period is short - only 100 days because she needs to be able to hunt as much as possible. When she gives birth, her cubs will weigh on average 500grams and will be born with their eyes shut.

This incredible image of an unborn leopard was taken by Peter Chinn for www.lifenews.com 

Mothers give birth in very dense areas, where it is easy to hide. The cub mortality rate is more than 50%, due to lions, hyenas and even snakes preying on the vulnerable cubs. 

The predators natural instinct to eliminate competition, so even though they do not see the leopard cubs as food, they know that when they develop and grow up they will become dangerous competition for them!

Machaba Camp cub

It takes the cubs 6 weeks before they venture from hiding and start to explore. 

Playtime is crucial to the development of cubs. They are very inquisitive, quick to learn and have a natural instinct to hunt, almost immediately. They will even stalk their mothers tail to begin practicing for the real hunts in the future!

When the cub reaches 3kgs in weight (around the age of 3 months) they will be weaned off their mothers milk as its almost time for them to start hunting for themselves...

Machaba Camp cub

Mothers will spend 50% of her time with her cubs and 50% of her time away -  but she'll keep within 2 km until the cubs are 4 or 5 months old. After that point , her cubs will join her to assist on her hunts or hunt alone.

After this stage in the cubs lives, they can have reunions with their mother until she decides to mate again or has new cubs. Ultimately, the Mother will start pushing her cub away when it starts becoming competition in hunting for food.

In the bush, it's survival of the fittest and each to their own. Blood is not thicker than water when the playing fields are leveled! 

The above picture is Nthombi's cub, taken in Timbavati, Aug 2012

Cubs become independent at 18 months. Between the ages of two and four they are sexually mature and ready to start their own reproductive cycles. 

Want to find out about Leopards mating? 

Check in again with us on Monday, where we'll be sharing more leopard facts with you.