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African Leopard

Leopards are superb climbers. If a tree touches the fence line, assume they will use it.

2 min read · Care guide

ScreenshotAfrican Leopard
African Leopard in Planet Zoo 2

Key requirements

GroupOne male with one or two females
AccreditationTier 3 in franchise mode
MarketCash only at that tier

Habitat set-up

  • Drinking water linked to the filtration network
  • Moderate plant coverage
  • Trees well inside the barrier

Enrichment & feeding

  • Toys and a rubbing post
  • Food enrichment

Keeper tips

  • A leopard once climbed a tree beside the fence and dropped out. move every tree away from the barrier.
  • Quarantine new arrivals before moving them into the habitat.

Wildlife reserve & release groups

Predators need prey in the reserve first: leopards could only be released into the Great Rift Valley once giraffes had been released.

How release groups work →

Full african leopard care guide

2 min read · Updated 2026-11-07

African leopards are gorgeous cats and amazing climbers. That second part is the thing to remember: if a tree, rock or structure is anywhere near the barrier, a leopard will find it. Build the habitat with escape-proofing in mind and they're a fantastic tier 3 animal.

Getting leopards

  • In Franchise mode leopards unlock at accreditation tier 3.
  • At that tier they're cash only. You can't buy them with conservation credits.
  • If you'd rather not build from scratch, there's a leopard enclosure blueprint for about $14,000.

Group size

One male with one or two females. Don't add a second male.

The escape problem

My first leopard escaped within a short time of moving in. It climbed a tree next to the fence and dropped out the other side. The alert says "Dangerous animal escaped", and you'll need an emergency capture.

To stop it happening:

  1. Keep every tree well inside the barrier. Not near it. Well inside it.
  2. Check rocks and boulders near the edge too.
  3. Use a tall, climb-proof barrier with glass viewing panels.
  4. After building, open the traversable area heat map and look for any spot where the cat can get close to the top of the fence.

Habitat needs

  • Drinking water connected to the filtration network so it stays clean.
  • Moderate plant coverage. Leopards like cover, but don't overplant. Keep it inside the target range.
  • Climbing structures and trees inside the habitat (away from the fence). Leopards love being up high, and guests love seeing them up there.
  • A shelter.
  • Toys, a rubbing post and food-based enrichment.

Quarantine

Always send new leopards through quarantine before they go into the habitat. It catches diseases before they spread.

Releasing leopards

Leopards are predators, so they can't be released until their prey is in the reserve. In the Great Rift Valley, my leopards could only go out after I'd released giraffes. If the release button is greyed out, check the "species role required" in the Zoopedia.

Black leopards

The black leopard (panther) is also available at tier 3. It's worth checking the market for one if you want a showpiece cat.