Generally, cheetahs have a more slender build as they chase and kill their prey. Being the fastest land animal on earth, the cheetah needs to have a slender build to be streamlined and more efficient at running.
A leopard, on the other hand, has a more muscular build. They ambush predators, meaning they stalk their prey and pounce on them when they are within attacking range. leopards use their muscular frame and their extreme strength to carry their prey up trees.
The other obvious physical difference between the cheetah and leopard is in their coats. Cheetahs have clear black spots all over its body and a leopard has irregular, rose-shaped spots called rosettes on its body. In both cases, their spots are used as camouflage from other animals.
Another physical difference between the cheetah and leopard is that, Cheetahs have black, tear-like streaks that run from the corner of their eyes all the way down to their cheeks. These are theorized to help absorb blinding sunlight and reduce glare in the intense heat of Saharan Africa. These spots are completely absent on the leopard’s face.
While the cheetah prefers to hunt in the day, leopards usually hunt at night (but will also occasionally hunt in the day if an opportunity presents itself), thus Leopards have a large number of light-sensitive cells in their eyes that detect less colour but allow them to detect movement and shape easily in the dark, giving them an advantage. The large pupil of the leopard’s eyes allows abundant light to enter, making it possible to see at night when they hunt for their prey.
