A leopard is not waiting for one favourite meal. It is an opportunistic predator, and what it eats changes with the landscape.
A surprisingly broad menu
In Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands, researchers identified 17 prey species from leopard scat. Black-naped hare appeared often, while barking deer contributed heavily to the biomass consumed. Sambar, monkeys, porcupines and several other wild species were also recorded.
Wild prey matters
Healthy prey populations make it easier for leopards and people to share landscapes outside protected areas. When a landscape keeps its natural prey, leopards do not need to improvise as much.
So what is “leopard food”?
The real answer is: it depends where the leopard lives, what prey is available and what it can successfully hunt.
Wild bit: the menu changes with the neighbourhood.