One can identify most leopards by their light color and distinctive dark spots. Those spots are called rosettes, because they resemble the shape of a rose. The coloration on leopards and many other animals has evolved because it helps them survive better. In the case of leopards, the alternating dark and light blends into the shadows and sunlight patches in the grasslands or forest where they live and makes it easier for them to sneak up on the the animals they hunt.

A young leopard strolls through Gir National Park …