New Artwork – Ian Rogers – a Leap of Leopards

Another collective noun – today, a Leap of Leopards. Leopards are the smallest of the big cats, but are the best climbers. A leopard can carry a kill many times its own weight up a nearly vertical tree in its jaws, where it will eat its fill without being bothered by scavengers or larger predators. They will often sleep in trees, and also hide their kittens up tall trees while out hunting. Why a “leap”? Perhaps because leopards often take a running leap at a tree to climb it, or that as they climb back down (always headfirst), they leap from the trees when close enough to the ground. It could also be that for all its strength, the leopard is a ambush hunter – it leaps on its unsuspecting prey and kills with a single crushing bite to the throat.