Leopards

Ecology Assessment 1. An ecosystem is a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment. 2. My organism is a leopard which is part of the Animalia kingdom. Its phylum is chordate and it is under the class of mammalian. Its order is carnivora as it is a carnivore and eats other animals. It is part of the Felidae family. Its Genus is panthera and its species is Panthera Pardus. 3. The leopard was once only found in eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa. Now it is mainly found in sub-Sahara Africa, and there are also fragmented populations in Pakistan, India, Sir Lanka, Indochina, Malaysia and China. 4. Leopards have long elegant bodies, big paws and long tails. Most leopards have yellowish fur coats with dark spots, with the exception of its head and legs which are covered by single dark spots. Their spotted coats allow them to blend in with the surrounding trees and bushes. They have long white whiskers, which are stiff and sensitive. Their whiskers help leopards feel their way through thick underbrush in the dark. The leopards tongue is rough and covered with tiny hook-shaped spikes called papillae. These help the leopard to scrape flesh from the bones of its prey. Their tongue is also used to groom and clean its own fur. Leoprads have broad chests, short but powerful legs and thick necks. They have large heads with high cheekbones, golden eyes, rounded cup-shaped ears and long, wide noses. 5. This is a picture of a leopard: 6. Food Chain: The grass grows from the ground, the deer eats the grass, the antelope eats the grass, and the leopard eats the deer and the antelope. The leopard is mainly at the top of the food chain. Predator: The leopard is a predator because it eats other animals such as deer and antelope and no other animal eats a leopard which shows it is at the top of its food chain and distinguishes that it is a predator instead of prey. Carnivore: The leopard is a Carnivore because it eats other animals and does not eat grass or plants. It is therefore placed in the role of a carnivore. Community: The community or habitat of the leopard is sub-Sahara Africa. The animals in that area are deers, coyotes, horses, lions, giraffes, and many other kinds of animals. Population: The population of the leopards is being radically reduced due to humans demand of leopard fur coats and leopard skin. Their population is also being radically reduced due to hunting.