Leopard Den
When a female leopard is ready to give birth, she finds a secret shelter, known as a den, and prepares it for her babies. The den can be in a cave, thicket, rock pile, or hollow tree. It should be hidden from other predators.
For the first two to three months of their lives, leopard cubs have to hide inside the den when the mother leopard goes out hunting. Sometimes, predators such as lions, hyenas, jackals, eagles, and baboons can still find the helpless leopard cubs and eat them.
Only when the mother leopard is at home, the baby leopards are allowed to walk out of the den and play with each other. If the mother leopard senses danger, she will move the cubs from one den to another. The den plays an important role in the safety of leopard cubs during the early days of their lives. Once the cubs are strong enough to climb trees easily, the family leaves the den.
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