Scent-marking frequency in southern Kalahari leopards

The scent-marking frequency of adult leopards when spraying urine and clawing trees was studied in the southern Kalahari. Between the leopard classes, males scent-marked significantly more frequently than females with and without cubs. Males spray-urinated 2.3 times as often as females without cubs and 5.9 as often as females with cubs. Moreover, in males, scent-marking increased significantly on days preceding mating and when mating occurred. Spray-urination is a more frequent form of scent-marking than tree-clawing. The leopards also roll in their own urine and that of gemsbok.