THE LEOPARD 



possession of them for homes for themselves. In 

 South Africa the leopard is still found haunting 

 the forest-clad parts, but it is slowly but surely 

 being exterminated. In the Cape Province they 

 still give trouble, especially in the forests of the 

 eastern parts of the province, w^here they issue forth 

 at night and cause much loss to the stock farmers. 

 Hov^ever, every year they are becoming scarcer, 

 for, when a leopard is in his neighbourhood, the 

 farmer suffers nightly losses of stock, and with 

 trap, poison, dog and gun he wages war against it. 



In Southern Rhodesia, leopards are so plentiful 

 that during the year 1910 the Government of the 

 country paid out awards for 250 of these animals, 

 which had been slain in one year. 



The leopard is very partial to bush-covered 

 rocky country in the neighbourhood of kloofs and 

 krantzes. When rock crevices or caves are avail- 

 able it makes its home in these if they happen to 

 be in secluded localities not easily discovered by 

 man. Failing such lairs, it takes to the trees or 

 dense matted undergrowth. Occasionally it is 

 found lying concealed in the hollow interior of old 

 forest trees. 



It is often met with singly, but more usually in 

 pairs, and sometimes in small family parties of four 

 to six, consisting of the parents and half-grown, 

 and even fully-grown progeny. 



The leopard is more cunning, secretive, and treach- 

 erous than the lion. Unless forced from its lair 



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