In my previous blog, I looked at why male leopards hold territories and what it means for a male to establish and defend his own space. Female leopards are territorial for many of the same reasons, but there are some important differences in what they need from their territory.
For a female, a territory needs to provide enough food for her to survive and raise cubs, as well as suitable places where she can hide them during the most vulnerable stages of their lives.
The Xinkohova female moving her first litters den site. Unfortunately this litter didn’t make it but we are hopeful there will be more.
Access to prey is one of the most important factors when a female establishes a territory. Leopards are solitary hunters and a female has to provide for herself and, when she has cubs, for an entire litter as well. A territory with a good variety and abundance of prey gives her a better chance of raising those cubs successfully.
There is a direct relationship between prey density and territory size. In areas where prey is abundant and concentrated, a female can meet her survival needs within a smaller range. Where prey is dispersed and scarce, she needs to cover more ground. This is one of the reasons female territories vary considerably in size even within the same reserve, depending on which part of the landscape a female occupies and how productive that ground is.
Nkoveni female and one of her two Cubs stand tall as they both scan the clear path ahead.
But food is not the only consideration. Suitable den sites are extremely important. For the first few weeks of their lives, leopard cubs are completely dependent on their mother and spend most of their time hidden away. Dens are often found in thick vegetation, rocky areas, gullies or fallen trees, where the cubs can remain concealed while their mother leaves to hunt. A territory that offers good hunting ground but no safe denning options is not a viable territory for a female with cubs. Both resources need to be present within the same range.
After having just made a kill, the Novena female is dragging thids Impala to a suitable tree in order for her to hoist it out of the reaches of other predators.
A female’s territory therefore needs to contain both good hunting areas and safe places to raise cubs. This is one of the reasons female territories can shift over time. As her circumstances change, so do the areas she needs to use.
Female leopard territories are generally much smaller than those of males. Research from Panthera’s Sabi Sands Leopard Project has found female home ranges averaging around 20 to 25 square kilometres in this area, although there can be considerable variation. In areas with high leopard densities and abundant prey, territories can be smaller because competition for space is intense and the landscape itself is productive enough to sustain a leopard within a more compact range. A male’s territory is sized to encompass the ranges of several females. A female’s territory is sized around what she actually needs to survive and raise offspring.
Xinzele stops to scan the area ahead while on a territorial patrol
Another interesting aspect of female territorial behaviour is what happens when her daughters become independent. Young females will often establish themselves in or alongside their mother’s territory, with the mother sometimes shifting or reducing her own range to accommodate them. Research has shown that female leopards disperse an average of only 2.7 kilometres from where they were born, compared to 11 kilometres for males. This kin-based territorial clustering means that several related females often end up living in neighbouring territories, which reduces aggression between them and can improve cub survival rates in the overlap zones. This behaviour has been formally documented and is known as philopatry.
Three Rivers female and her daughter, the Tinxiya Female. Two beautiful leopards, one legacy.
Female leopards are therefore not simply protecting an area where they find food. Their territories provide the resources and security needed to raise the next generation. For a female leopard, choosing the right territory can have a direct influence on whether her cubs survive and eventually become independent.
Well-told, Ross with some lovely mum and cub images. Thanks!
Hi Ross, many thanks for the interesting copy. The more I learn about certain behavior, the more I see parallels with ourselves. We too suss out a safe neighborhood to live and raise kids. When kids leave the nest, or go to college, parents will likely endeavor to find the right venue – territory – for them to start out their semi independent lives. I.think in a way we as people also cede or carve out a niche for our offspring – perhaps through helping kids find a position etc. At the end of the say, without emotions or anthropomorphic thoughts, all living creatures have a strong motivation to ensure the best for the next generation. And in some ways, on a large scale, our global leaders should perhaps learn take a leaf out of leopards’ books.