A leopard never changes its spots.

And one leopard in China can't seem to change its shape either.

A 16-year-old leopard in Panzhihua Zoo, located in Sichuan, China, became an internet sensation due to its chonky appearance.

It definitely does not have the expected look of a ferocious predatory cat.

A "huge" sensation

The overweight leopard caught people's attention online in March 2024.

Many were amused by the leopard's uncanny resemblance to a Disney character, Officer Clawhauser, from the animated movie "Zootopia".

According to Red Star News, the leopard's daily meals consist of 1.36kg of beef, sometimes accompanied by chicken or rabbit meat.

The leopard's diet is ensured to incorporate a standard ratio of food groups after consultations with veterinary professionals.

The zoo also ensures it undergoes annual health checkups.

Shortly after its fame, the zoo was buzzing with visitors, resulting in an increase in ticket sales.

Visitors who were excited to see the leopard up-close and personal described it as "chubby and cute", with a "good appetite".

Weight-loss scheme

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the zoo had been attempting to help the big cat lose weight.

With the leopard seemingly living an all-too-comfortable life, many called the place a "zoo of conscience", reported SCMP.

Nonetheless, concerns were raised regarding its unhealthy image.

Sun Quanhui, a senior scientific adviser at World Animal Protection, told West China City Daily that this was attributed to the leopard's limited space.

Sun advised the zoo to reduce the amount of food given to the leopard.

The zoo was also told to tactically put food in places harder for the leopard to reach, so as to promote exercise, which would improve its psychological well-being.

Although the zoo claimed it did not have enough money to revamp its facilities, the zoo eventually managed to dismantle the fence and wire mesh between the leopard's enclosure and the adjacent one.

This gave it twice the living space of up to 45 sq m, likened to a "one-room apartment", as reported by Red Star News.

Two months later

However, the weight-loss scheme was not as easy to implement.

After two months, the overweight leopard showed little signs of weight loss, Red Star News wrote.

The leopard's belly was also described to be "as big and round as before".

According to SCMP, the zoo consulted multiple experts who suggested that the 16-years-old leopard, equivalent to a human in their 70s, was too old for any lifestyle changes.

A leopard typically lives up to 23 years in captivity.

As the leopard possessed no health problems, the zoo remained optimistic about the leopard's situation.

SCMP reported zoo staff saying, "All is fine as long as he is healthy and happy."

Top photos from Red Star News and The Walt Disney Studios