Encountering this big cat in its natural habitat is an experience filled with awe, offering a glimpse into the secretive life of one of nature’s most adaptable and skilled predators.
Adapted to a nocturnal lifestyle, leopards are masters of the night, using the cover of darkness to stalk their prey with unmatched stealth and efficiency. However, their adaptability means they can also hunt during the day, especially in areas where they are less likely to be disturbed by human activity. This flexibility in hunting behavior underscores the leopard’s opportunistic nature. Whether scavenging food from other predators or hunting a wide range of prey, leopards demonstrate remarkable dietary versatility. Their prey can range from the smallest of insects, such as termites, to large herbivores weighing up to 100 kg (220 pounds), showcasing their prowess as apex predators capable of taking down animals several times their size.
Leopards are the most geographically widespread of the old-world cats, with nine recognized subspecies that have adapted to a variety of habitats, from the dense rainforests of Africa to the snow-capped mountains of Asia. Despite this adaptability, leopards have been extirpated from much of their historic range due to human activities. Today, their populations are fragmented and isolated, facing an uncertain future in the fragmented landscapes that were once their unchallenged domain.
The threats facing leopards are manifold. Poaching for their beautiful pelts has historically decimated populations, while habitat fragmentation due to agricultural expansion, urban development, and deforestation has dramatically reduced their living spaces. Trophy hunting, often under the guise of conservation, continues to pose a threat by targeting the healthiest individuals within populations, potentially destabilizing the genetic diversity and social structure of remaining groups. Furthermore, the decline in prey populations due to overhunting and habitat loss adds to the pressure on leopard populations, challenging their survival.
Distribution
Afghanistan
Official estimate
Algeria
Angola
Official estimate
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Benin
Bhutan
Botswana
Official estimate
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Central Af. Rep.
Chad
China
Congo-Brazzaville
Côte D’ivoire
DR Congo (Kinshasa)
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Official estimate
Gabon
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Gambia
Georgia
Ghana
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Guinea-Bissau
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Guinea
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Hong Kong
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India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
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Jordan
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Kenya
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Korea
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Kuwait
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Laos
Lebanon
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Lesotho
Liberia
Malawi
Malaysia
Mali
Mauritania
Official estimate
Morocco
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Mozambique
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Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
Oman
Pakistan
Russia
Rwanda
Official estimate
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
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Sierra Leone
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Singapore
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Somalia
South Africa
Sudan
Sri Lanka
Syria
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Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
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Togo
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Tunisia
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Turkey
Turkmenistan
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UAE
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Uganda
Uzbekistan
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Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
ZimbabweRecent updates
June 2024: Russia and China have established the Land of Big Cats, a 1.75-million-hectare transboundary reserve for Amur leopards and Siberian tigers.
May 2024: An international team led by scientists from DICE, UEA, UCL, NTU, and the Diwan of Royal Court in Oman surveyed the Dhofar mountain range to count Arabia’s last big cats. Using camera traps and DNA analyses, they estimate only 51 wild leopards remain in Oman, spread across three isolated, genetically distinct subpopulations.
Feb 2024: Conservation experts from Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla have successfully bred seven Arabian leopard cubs in captivity this year, aiming to boost the critically endangered species’ wild population.
Feb 2023: Researchers have discovered that Nepal leopards are susceptible to the dog distemper virus, probably resulting in the animals becoming less wary of humans and entering populated areas for food.
Did you know?
- It resembles the jaguar in looks but is smaller and lighter in build; even their rosettes are similar, the leopard’s rosettes just being smaller and missing the central spot as in the jaguars.
- They are very splendid tree climbers and use trees as their comfort zones for resting or feasting.
- Leopards haul and stash heavy carcasses on tree branches away from other ground predators, thanks to powerful jaws and large skulls!
- Leopards are shy and reclusive and avoid humans but can attack humans in close encounters; after all, the only thing about leopard behavior that is completely predictable is its unpredictability!
- Around 4,500-7,000, leopards are killed annually to meet the demand for leopard skins by Nazareth Baptist (Shembe) Church members only. In SA, the illegal trafficking of leopard skins for cultural regalia is popular.
- Leopards are also hunted for their skins (used in traditional ceremonies) and other body parts for medicinal use in Chinese and eastern cultures, negatively impacting local Leopard populations.
- They are the most adaptive big wild cats (pantheras), yet disappearing at an alarming rate.
- Leopard parts are used as substitutes for tiger parts in the black market, triggering large-scale leopard hunting.
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
Leopard on banknotes
