Research overview: leopard ambush hunting and prey caching

Leopards are versatile solitary hunters whose success rests on stealth, ambush, and the ability to secure kills from kleptoparasites. This overview surveys studies of leopard hunting tactics across forest and savanna, including close stalking under cover, the killing throat or nape bite, and the distinctive habit of hauling carcasses into trees to protect them from lions and hyenas. It discusses how prey availability, competitor density, and habitat structure shape hunting and caching decisions. The topic illustrates how a mid-sized solitary felid persists alongside larger competitors by combining ambush precision with a behavioural strategy for protecting hard-won food in contested landscapes.