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Meet Panthera pardus…
This is the leopard’s scientific name. Along with lions, jaguars, tigers and snow leopards, they form the so-called ‘big cats’ in the Panthera genus. Leopards are the most versatile and adaptable of this group, both in terms of the habitat where they can survive and the prey species they consume.
But despite this adaptability, leopards have lost 75% of their historical distribution. As a species, the leopard is classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, and the current population trend is decreasing.
Why are leopards important?
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• Leopards are apex predators that play a vital role in maintaining the functioning and diversity of ecosystems
The presence of top carnivores like the leopard regulates herbivore numbers through predation, and the numbers of smaller medium-sized carnivores through competition and dominance.
• The leopard is an umbrella species for wider biodiversity conservation
Conservation efforts focused on the continued survival of leopard populations (which include preserving their habitat and prey species) also benefit other species and ecosystem processes.
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• The leopard is a flagship species for conservation and environmental education
Leopards are well-known, charismatic and iconic, and can be used to promote awareness and rally support for prey and habitat conservation.
• The leopard is a keystone species that plays a crucial role in maintaining the structure of their ecological communities
Leopards have a major effect on the health of environments. Without them, the ecosystem where they occur would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether.
Did you know?
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Leopard spots are called rosettes, and each individual leopard’s rosette pattern is unique – similar to human fingerprints.
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In total, leopards now occur in 63 countries across Africa and Asia, but this is only a fraction of the area where they once roamed. They have always been absent from the Americas, Antarctica, Europe and Australia.
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Leopards have a very wide habitat tolerance and they occur in lush forests, open savanna, rocky deserts, rugged mountains and dense bushveld. They even utilise urban areas in some parts of the world.
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Diet studies show that leopards consume more than 100 prey species across their range. They are the ultimate opportunists and will even eat insects like beetles and crickets when times are tough. In general though, leopards prefer medium-sized prey around 10 – 40 kg (dependent on the region).
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Leopards can reach a top running speed of 56-60 km/h (35-37 mph). That is slower than some other predators and also slower than many of their prey species. But speed is only one tool in their hunting arsenal. Leopards are masters of stealth and camouflage – they stalk unsuspecting prey and pounce with enormous power. They have incredible agility and acceleration – while their top speed is not particularly fast, they are able to reach it in just 2 to 3 strides; they can leap forward 6 metres and jump 3 metres into the air! Once they are within striking distance they deliver a tremendously powerful bite – leopards have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom – enabling them to take down prey that is significantly larger than their own body size.
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Leopards, as solitary hunters, cannot easily protect their kills from other large predators on the ground. Their extremely strong jaws and exceedingly powerful musculature around the shoulders and neck enable them to hoist their heavy meals up into trees where none of their foes (except other leopards!) can reach.
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Leopards are predominantly nocturnal and hunt under the cover of darkness. They have extremely acute night vision, and a white stripe underneath the eye reflects light onto the retina and enables them to hunt in the low illumination of the moon.
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Some leopards appear black due to a rare genetic trait – the overproduction of melanin (the dark pigment in skin or fur). These melanistic leopards are often called ‘black panthers’ and they have been documented mostly in tropical forests of India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Java. Interestingly, black panthers still have their typical rosettes, just not easily visible with the excess black pigment, so they appear to be solid black.
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Threats to leopards
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Leopards are wide-roaming territorial animals that need large tracts of continuous suitable habitat in order to thrive. The main threat to leopard survival across their range is habitat destruction. Where leopards still occur, their remaining habitat is increasingly fragmented by continued urban and agricultural development. Other main threats include the depletion of their prey base, persecution due to conflict with people over livestock, unsustainable trophy hunting, poaching for body parts and skins, road accidents, and too frequent fires. Isolated populations face the risk of lower genetic diversity and reduced fitness, thereby decreasing their chances of survival.
Leopard subspecies
The nine subspecies of leopard. Originally taken from Castelló, José R.. Felids and Hyenas of the World: Wildcats, Panthers, Lynx, Pumas, Ocelots, Caracals, and Relatives, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691211862
Leopard subspecies ranges. Taken from Jacobsen et al. 2016, Leopard (Panthera pardus) status, distribution, and the research efforts across its range. doi:10.7717/peerj.1974
Leopard status infographic. Jacobsen et al. 2016, Leopard (Panthera pardus) status, distribution, and the research efforts across its range. doi:10.7717/peerj.1974