Meeting Abstract
Leopards are the most widespread of all the big cats and are known for their adaptability. Despite this, leopards are elusive and little is known about their lifestyle. We use high-resolution GPS/IMU (inertial measurement unit) collars to record position, speed and activity of four male leopards in the Okavango Delta, an area with high habitat diversity as well as habitat fragmentation. Data were generally recorded at 5 minute intervals, but allowed to trigger into high resolution mode (5Hz GPS/50Hz IMU) for a total of 5 months in order to capture run occurrence and performance. Data shows that the animals are mainly active during the night with peaks in activity occurring in the early morning and evening. Runs occurred more frequently during the night with a slight increase in the early morning hours. Runs were generally short (<100 m) and relatively slow (an average speed of 6 m/s). Average daily travel distance was 11 km and maximum daily travel distance was 30 km. No direct correlation was found between average daily temperature and travel distance. However, leopards showed surprisingly similar patterns in average monthly travel distance over time, suggesting that factors such as mating opportunities, grass height or food availability have a similar influence on different individuals. Total daily energy requirements based on locomotor cost and basal metabolic rate varied little among individuals and over time.
