Of all the 'big game' species in Africa, leopards are the least likely to attack humans. They rely on being in good condition to survive – if they get injured and are unable to hunt, leopards will die of starvation. Consequently, they are cautious animals and, in any confrontational situation, are likely to back down.

Are leopards harmful to humans?

Leopards are not only dangerous and sleek, but they're brave and tough. Unlike most animals that run away and hide when they are wounded, leopards actually become more aggressive and therefore more dangerous. They are fast, vicious, and have been known to attack humans for nothing more than a midnight snack.

How many people have been killed by leopard?

Leopards also have been known to attack and kill humans. One of the most infamous incidents involved the Leopard of the Central Provinces, which killed nearly 150 people (all of them women and children) over just a couple of years in India in the early 1900s. It was eventually shot dead.