THE SPOTTED CAT Written and designed by Madison Fuller
~A special scoop on the inside life of one of us!
~And will this fictional character ever find her way home?...
...all to be revealed in this weeks edition of THE SPOTTED CAT!
THE SPOTTED CAT Written and designed by Madison Fuller
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Contents: MAGAZINE ARTICLE...........................................P. 3 THE LEOPARD: A POEM........................................P. 5 THE LEOPARD SCRAPBOOK: A FICTION STORY.....P. 6 Author’s note...................................................p.9
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A Leopard’s Life By Madison Fuller ! Leopards are sleek and strong cats closely related to lions, tigers, and jaguars. They live in rain forests, grasslands, and desert terrains found in parts of Africa, Asia, India, and China. Many of their populations are endangered.
! A leopard’s coat varies in different habitats, but most leopards are light colored with dark spots called rosettes, because of the resemblance to the shape of a rose. Leopards use their long tail for balance among the trees and brushing away their paw prints to keep predators away. The paws of a leopard are soft, and padded, with retractable claws. The soft pads of a leopard are what allow the leopard to approach prey unnoticed. ! Leopards have a stalk and pounce method for killing their prey. Their spotted coats allow them to blend in with the landscape. Leopards will bite the throat to suffocate the prey. They are often seen hauling their kills up a tree branch to keep them away from scavengers, such as hyenas. Leopards mainly eat gazelle, impala antelopes and wildebeest. They also hunt monkeys, rodents and birds, selecting their prey by focusing on small herds and dense habitats for low risk of injury.
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! Most leopards avoid people, but ones injured, sickly, or with a shortage of prey may benefit by hunting humans. An extreme case of a “Man Eating Leopard” occurred when the “Panar Leopard” was believed to have killed more than 400 people, after becoming accustomed to human flesh. Hunter, Jim Corbett, later killed the leopard. ! Leopards face many threats such as human encroachment and the fur trade. They are declining in large parts of their natural environment due to habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting for trade and pest control. I hope that by learning a little more about these creatures, you can help to make a difference in their lives.
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Things People Like You Can Do To Save The Leopard Race
Help! Find Out How To Save Our Race!!!
If you are an older kid who loves leopards, you should consider doing volunteer work at your local zoo. Many zoos have programs that allow you to help out your community, while working next to your favorite feline! Kids can do fundraising. You could organize a carwash, a bake sale, a rummage sale, etc. The possibilities never end! You can donate the funds raised to organizations such as “Coins For Cats, that were made to help the race of the feline. This is also a great way to get rid of those annoying pennies in your piggy bank and turn them into donations to help save leopards. Adopt a leopard! By just simply adopting a leopard, you could help WWF (World Wildlife Fund) campaign and get governments to create and enforce new laws that help protect leopards. Try it today!
ONE OF A KIND!
The$Leopard By$Madison$Fuller The$leopard, A$blanket$of$rosettes, Its$body$rocking$from$side$to$side. The$silent$cadence$of$its$paws$the$only$ noise, As$it$encircles$the$injured. The$antelope, An$innocent$child, With$nowhere$to$hide. The$fear$of$the$unseen, Hidden$in$its$vision. The$race$has$begun, An$unexpected$knock$on$the$door, A$gust$of$wind$hidden$in$a$forest$of$grass. Around$the$tree$and$over$the$rocks, As$the$wildebeests$turn$to$observe. As$they$round$the$bend, One$last$leap, And$a$bite$to$the$throat,
Ladies$and$gentlemen, This$race$is$over. Time$slows. The$sound$of$a$silent$heartbeat. As$a$runnerFup$accepts$defeat. Except$this$time, There$is$no$silver$medal.
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NEW EDITION!
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The$Leopard$Scrapbook By$Madison$Fuller
“To$your$right$now$ladies$and$gentlemen,$are$the$great$African$Leopards!” The$truck$stopped,$and$Meg$dug$out$her$camera.$She$snapped$a$picture$of$the$ leopards$resting$around$a$rock.$Meg$looked$up$at$the$sun,$as$she$wondered$how$much$ longer$this$Safari$tour$was$going$to$last.$She$was$visiting$Africa$with$her$mother$and$her$ sister,$Kate.$Her$mother$was$a$photographer,$and$she$wanted$to$compile$a$collection$of$ photos$from$the$African$Savannah$into$a$scrapbook. As$the$truck$started$to$move$again,$Meg’s$mom$leaned$over$towards$her.$“Guess$ what?$The$owner$of$this$park$gave$me$permission$to$enter$the$leopard’s$habitat$later$ today!$Don’t$worry$girls;$we’ll$be$safe.$There$are$security$cameras$in$these$trees.$There$are$ three$leopards,$so$there’ll$be$one$for$each$of$us$to$photograph!” Meg$was$excited$to$photograph$the$leopards,$but$she$was$also$nervous.$What$if$ something$perilous$were$to$happen? ************************* Meg,$her$mom$and$her$sister$trudged$through$the$grass$towards$the$rock$where$they$ had$last$seen$the$leopards.$She$had$on$her$mother’s$old$hiking$boots,$and$her$camera$hung$ from$her$neck.$“I$think$I$can$see$the$leopards$on$the$other$side$of$the$rock!”$Kate$yelled.$ Meg$and$Kate$both$jogged$ahead. “Take$as$many$photos$as$you$can.$And$follow$them$wherever$they$go,”$Meg’s$mom$ called$ahead.$“No$need$to$worry;$they$sleep$here,$so$they$will$come$back$towards$the$end$ of$the$day.”$
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Meg$watched$as$her$mom$and$Kate$went$off$to$follow$their$leopards.$Meg$had$ favored$a$male$leopard$named$Spots,$because$of$its$interesting$pattern.$When$Meg$ turned$back$towards$her$leopard,$she$found$him$staring$into$her$eyes.$Meg$sat$down$and$ examined$the$leopard.$A$few$scratches$here$and$there.$Golden$eyes.$And$big$paws$with$ sharp$claws.$Suddenly$the$leopard$rose$to$its$feet,$and$walked$over$toward$Meg.$Meg$ suddenly$felt$on$edge.$It$stopped$when$it$reached$Meg’s$face.$She$could$smell$the$ leopard’s$breath,$which$smelled$of$rotten$meat.$The$leopard$sniffed$Meg’s$hair.$She$could$ feel$the$hot$breath$on$her$scalp,$and$she$felt$her$hair$forming$tangles.$SatisTied,$he$ walked$off$into$the$grass,$as$Meg$let$out$a$breathe$of$relief. Meg$got$up$and,$eager$to$not$lose$sight$of$the$leopard$followed$him$off$into$the$ grass.$Meg$noticed$that$the$leopard$looked$back$at$her$every$now$and$then,$as$if$to$see$if$ she$was$still$there.$She$thought$she$could$hear$a$soft$purring$noise$coming$from$the$ leopard,$but$she$wasn’t$sure. As$Meg$accompanied$Spots,$she$soon$found$herself$at$a$clearing$with$a$small$ stream.$She$sat$down$on$a$nearby$rock,$and$picked$up$a$stick.$Meg$threw$the$stick$into$ the$water$and$gaped$at$how$the$leopard$plunged$into$the$stream$and$swam$after$the$ stick.$Once$the$stick$had$been$retrieved,$Spots$climbed$back$out$and$dropped$the$stick$at$ Meg’s$feet.$She$threw$the$stick$in$the$water$a$few$more$times,$before$he$became$ completely$soaked.$Spots$then$climbed$out$and$shook$the$water$out$of$his$fur,$spraying$ Meg$with$dirty$water.$ “EWWW!”$she$cried.$Meg$fell$to$the$ground$laughing,$as$the$leopard$pranced$ around$her$head. ************************* Meg$followed$Spots$to$a$large$sunny$clearing,$where$he$Tlopped$down$onto$the$ ground.$Meg$sat$down$herself,$wet$and$tired.$She$stroked$the$leopard’s$fur,$and$silently,$ his$eyes$began$to$close.$Meg$thought$it$incredible$at$how$the$two$had$bounded$so$ quickly.$She$wondered$if$her$mom$or$her$sister$were$becoming$friends$with$their$ leopards.$Meg$began$to$doze$off,$and$soon$she$found$herself$asleep. ************************* The$sun$slowly$crept$into$Meg’s$eyes,$as$it$began$to$descend.$She$calmly$opened$ her$eyes$and$looked$around$for$the$leopard,$but$he$was$nowhere$in$sight.$She$called$out$ his$name$a$few$times,$before$realizing$that$she$had$been$abandoned.$She$sat$back$down$ in$the$grass,$realizing$that$she$should$have$never$taken$her$eyes$off$of$the$leopard.$ The$leopard$probably$forgot$all$about$me,$Meg$thought.$Now,$left$alone$in$the$ Savannah,$Meg$hoped$a$lion$or$a$tiger$wouldn’t$Tind$her.$Her$only$hope$now$was$that$the$ leopard$would$come$back$to$get$her.
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$ Meg$stood$up,$deciding$to$be$productive,$and$started$to$gather$the$soft$dirt$and$ elephant$grass$nearby$for$a$bed.$Meg$glanced$at$her$wristwatch,$5:30.$It$was$getting$late,$and$ she$wondered$if$she$would$have$to$spend$the$night$in$the$Savannah.$ While$Meg$was$in$the$process$of$creating$a$bed,$she$heard$a$noise.$She$stopped$and$ listened.$There$was$a$rustling$in$the$grass,$and$it$was$getting$closer.$Meg$crouched$low$in$the$ ground,$hoping$the$animal$wouldn’t$Tind$her. All$of$a$sudden,$the$face$of$a$leopard$came$from$the$grass.$Meg$felt$a$wave$of$relief$rush$ through$her,$as$she$came$out$of$her$hiding$spot.$The$leopard$had$found$her!$ Meg$noticed$it$held$a$piece$of$meat$in$its$mouth.$Her$leopard$must$have$just$gotten$up$ to$Tind$some$food.$Spots$dropped$the$meaty$bone$on$the$ground$and$pushed$it$with$his$paw$ towards$Meg.$Meg$smiled$gratefully. Meg$picked$up$her$camera$and$followed$the$leopard$back$to$the$rock,$as$the$sun$began$ to$set.$After$a$while,$Meg$spotted$her$mother$and$her$sister$up$ahead.$Her$mother$looked$ worried,$and$she$kept$looking$at$her$watch.$ “Mom!$Over$here!”$Her$mother$looked$in$the$direction$of$the$call,$and$when$she$ noticed$Meg,$she$waved$wildly. “We$thought$we$had$lost$you!”$her$mother$claimed,$as$tears$Tilled$her$eyes.”$ “I$thought$I$would$never$see$you$again$either,$but$Spots$found$me$and$brought$me$ back$to$you!”$Meg$replied. $After$a$round$of$hugs,$Meg,$her$mother$and$her$sister,$walked$handFinFhand$back$ towards$the$jeep,$as$the$leopards$turned$and$looked$out$over$the$Savannah.
Join me! Great experiences will take place as I, Robert Charrington, adventure through the Safari in search of the great African Leopard!
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AUTHORS NOTE DEAR READERs, on behalf of the spotted cat magazine, we would like to thank you for choosing us to read. we understand that you are given a lot of choices when it comes to your local magazine company. It makes us all the happier to be able to provide a great source of your daily readings. From, The spotted cat magazine
Will the leopards be saved.....
...all to be revealed in next week’s edition of THE SPOTTED CAT! 10