Is the bobcat a lynx?

Yes, the bobcat is part of the genus lynx. There are four cats that are part of this genus:

1. Lynx lynx - Eurasian lynx
   
2. Lynx canadensis - Canada lynx
   
3. Lynx pardinus - Iberian lynx
   
4. Lynx rufus - the bobcat

They all look like a lynx, which is helpful. It is the name that misleads as the three cats other than the bobcat have "lynx" in their name, whereas the bobcat does not.

The full classification for the bobcat is as follows: Kingdom: Animalia - Phylum: Chordata - Class: Mammalia - Order: Carnivora - Family: Felidae - Genus: Lynx - Species: L. rufus.

The group called "genus" is low in the taxonomic ranking. Classification of species is simply organising species in much the same way you organize files. The difference is that scientists use latin terminology, which is a throwback to the 1500s and before when scientists first classified the species.

Do leopards live in the tropical rainforest?

ANSWER: Yes, but they live in many other sorts of habitat as well. The leopard has the widest geographic distribution of all the wildcats. As a consequence this species of wildcat will be adapted to living in different habitats. It prefers forest cover and is found in all forest types including woodlands, scrub jungles and plantations. It is also lives at 5,000 meters above sea level in mountainous and rocky terrain. The Amur leopard lives in freezing temperatures. The leopard is a generalist in terms of prey type and habitat selection. Tropical rainforest has high rainfall but the leopard can also live in areas of very low rainfall and drink once in ten days (Kalahari desert). Leopards are exceptional tree climbers.

Are leopards and panthers the same?

ANSWER: Yes. These days "panther" is a generic term that usually refers to "black panthers", melanistic large wildcats such as the leopard and jaguar. In the 1800s scientists had thought that there was a species of wildcat that they called the panther and which was different to the leopard. The difference was found to be due to the wide variation in the appearance of the leopard as it grows up. Young leopards look different to adult leopards. It was believed that panthers occupied Africa and leopards lived in India. They were the same cat in fact. The name of the leopard is based on an early belief that this wildcat species was a cross between the lion and the panther: leo + pard.

Can leopards be black?

Yes, leopards can be black. Many wild cat species can also be black or what is called "melanistic" - see melanism for an article on this. Melanistic leopards will have faint markings. They are not jet black. They can be referred to as "black panthers". Black leopards are rare in Africa but "not uncommon" in southern India. They are common in Java and Malaysia, where about 50% of the leopards are black.

In Africa there are black leopards in the Aberdare Mountains of Kenya (just north of Nairobi, Aberdare National Park). This is the place where you will also see many black servals. You will also see black leopards in the Ethiopian highlands the Congo, South Africa and the Ruwenzoris.

How far can leopards jump?

ANSWER: "Considerable distances" -  At least 6.6 meters or 22 and more feet. This is the distance a leopard jumped across a ravine, which was observed by the author P. Turnbull-Kemp in his book The Leopard (1967). However, it likely that there are many examples of greater distances. The leopard is the epitome of the grace and athleticism of the cat. It is a strong and powerful cat and a very skilled climber. It is by far the most skilled at tree climbing of the four big cats (tiger, lion, jaguar and leopard). Only the few best climbers can race down trees headfirst and the leopard is one of these cats. They are also good swimmers. The quote is from Wild Cats of the World ISBN-13: 978-0-226-77999-7.