Leopard
Sounds & Calls
Leopard (Panthera pardus)
The Leopard (Panthera pardus) is the most widely distributed ‘big cat’ species and is found throughout Africa and much of Asia. It is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN due to habitat loss, poaching for the illegal wildlife trade and subsequent fragmentation of populations.
What does a leopard sound like? Leopards make a distinctive deep, guttural roaring sequence often referred to as ‘sawing’ as it resembles the sound of someone hand-sawing wood. Both male and female leopards make these sawing calls. Leopards also make a range of growls, snarls, meow, purrs and hisses.
Listen to some examples of leopard sounds below.
Listen to Leopard Sounds
The audio in the video below features the typical ‘sawing’ roars of a leopard. This sample is a compilation of two recordings of leopard calls – from Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana and Kafue National Park in Zambia.
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Other African Wildlife Sounds
- Baboon, Chacma (Papio ursinus)
- Bat, Epauletted Fruit (Epomophorus sp.)
- Bushbaby (Galago & Otolemur)
- Bushbuck, Cape (Tragelaphus sylvaticus)
- Eland, Common (Taurotragus oryx)
- Elephant, African Bush (Loxodonta africana)
- Fox, Bat-eared (Otocyon megalotis)
- Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)
- Hyena, Spotted (Crocuta crocuta)
- Hyrax, Rock (Procavia capensis)
- Impala (Aepyceros melampus)
- Jackal, Black-backed (Lupulella mesomelas)
- Jackal, Side-striped (Lupulella adusta)
- Kudu, Greater (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)
- Leopard (Panthera pardus)
- Lion (Panthera leo)
- Monkey, Vervet (Chlorocebus pygerythrus)
- Pig, Bush (Potamochoerus larvatus)
- Puku (Kobus vardonii)
- Rhinoceros, White (Ceratotherium simum)
- Squirrel, Smith's Bush (Paraxerus cepapi)