Safe Feeding Areas

Big cats have safe feeding areas where they drag or carry their prey to eat in a secure place. They favour dense thickets, rocky areas, far-flung areas of woodland away from main paths, ravines, abandoned quarries or even old culverts, where they can eat in safety, well away from other animals and people too.

Safe feeding area which was used by leopards in Dorset. Photo copyright Jonathan McGowan 2024.

Bone on the edge of a safe feeding area used by black leopards in West Somerset. Visible are tooth pit marks and you can see where the bone has been sheared off by strong carnassial teeth. Photo copyright Alex Bowler 2024.

Safe feeding area used by black leopards in a gorse thicket in West Somerset. Photo copyright Alex Bowler 2024.