I always think it's very difficult to talk about average size (esp) with Leopard as they vary in size to an incredible degree throughout Africa........ average for the area perhaps but nothing else. As an example of this, the Leopards from some but not all parts of Tanzania are as large as many fully grown Lionesses, but the prices to hunt one of these areas are very high.

Length is also not a particularly good yardstick to use (if you'll pardon the pun!) because a dead cat becomes very elastic. Even without stretching, by the time the pics of client etc holding the cat under it's forelegs are finished, you can often see the stretch factor visibly showing in the later pics. In extreme examples they can almost look like a cartoon cat. Note, I'm not suggesting this is done deliberately, it's not. The fact is that a dead cat stretches whether you like it or not. It should also be noted that with careful handling, you can also (temporarily) concertina it back to a more normal shape. - I guess some people might question that statement, but my reply to that would be to try it (on any freshly dead cat) before criticising the statement.

Skull measurement is the only criteria that has any relevance and 14 inches is a respectable size, esp bearing in mind the hunt was for a particular problem animal rather than a trophy animal.

Just goes to show the value of having a good, fair and comprehensive safari contract where all these things are stipulated without equivocation.