Zoo database

Leopard

Panthera pardus

Natural diet Leopard

Leopards are opportunistic carnivores. Their natural diet consists of a wide variety of prey animals, including large mammals such as deer, wild pigs, antelopes, monkeys, and smaller mammals such as hares and rodents. They may also eat birds and reptiles, as well as fish and invertebrates. They are known for their ability to take down larger prey with their agility and strength.

Vertebrates
Vertebrates

Feeding advice Leopard

Feed quantity per day

3-5%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 60 kg and eats 5% of its body weight, it will get
 
60 x 0,05 = 3 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

99% Meat and whole prey
1% Supplements

Proportions (fresh product)

0,99 x 3 kg = 2.970 g meat and whole prey
0,01 x 3 kg = 30 g supplements

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of prey

Whole prey

Supplements

Not recommended

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

  • Obesity
  • Secondary alimentary hyperparathyroidism
  • Gingivitis

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least one feeding moment per day.
  • Include at least one fasting day per week and slightly increase the diet portion on the day before.
  • The supplements should be given according to the appropriate dosage that is mentioned on the labelling.
  • To promote the oral health, it is important to offer the soft food first and then the hard food such as bones and skin.
  • Stimulate foraging behaviour by hanging, stacking or hiding the feed. For instance, by feeding large bones or whole prey, frozen food or placement in food puzzles (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).