The African leopard is known to kill and eat people, but it does not seem to be as prolific a man-eater as some in India. This is probably due to the lower population density in rural Africa. It is also likely that many attacks in remote areas go unreported. Although a leopard could easily account for an adult male, it is women and children that are most at risk.
Injured, sick or old leopards may turn to man-eating if they struggle to catch their usual prey, but most of the man-eaters have been males in their prime. Many leopards have acquired a taste for human flesh by coming across unburied corpses in the bush. They are not fussy eaters and will happily eat decaying meat.
Leopards are bold and not afraid to enter villages and even towns. They are cunning, elusive, and most active at night, which makes them difficult to kill. The leopard is adaptable as regards its environment and diet. The result is their wide distribution, often close to human habitation.