Leopard , (Panthera pardus), , also called panther , large cat closely related to the lion , tiger , and jaguar . The name leopard was originally given to the cat now called cheetah —the so-called hunting leopard—which was once thought to be a cross between the lion and the pard. The term pard was eventually replaced by the name leopard.

In 1750 the leopard's (Panthera pardus) geographic range spanned nearly the whole of Africa south of the Sahara, as well as parts of north and northeast Africa, and extended from Asia Minor through Central Asia and India to China and Manchuria. By 2019 the species had lost up to 75 percent of its former range.

In 1750 the leopard’s geographic range spanned nearly the whole of Africa south of the Sahara, occupied parts of north and northeast Africa, and extended from Asia Minor through Central Asia and India to China and Manchuria. By 2019 the species had lost up to 75 percent of its former range. Several large pockets, however, remained throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Iran , and the Himalayas , with smaller pockets scattered throughout Central Asia, India, Southeast Asia , eastern China and Manchuria, and the Korean peninsula. In addition, one tiny pocket of leopards persists in the Atlas Mountains .

Natural history

The leopard varies greatly in size and markings. The average size is 50 to 90 kg (110 to 200 pounds) in weight, 210 cm (84 inches), excluding the 90-cm tail, in length, and 60 to 70 cm in shoulder height. The leopard can, however, grow much larger. The ground colour is typically yellowish above and white below. Dark spots are generally arranged in rosettes over much of the body and are without the central spot characteristic of the coat of the jaguar; the ground colour within the rosettes is sometimes a darker yellow, and the size and spacing of the spots vary greatly. As a result of these differences in pattern, several races of leopard have been named.

The leopard is a solitary animal of the bush and forest and is mainly nocturnal in habit, although it sometimes basks in the sun. It is an agile climber and frequently stores the remains of its kills in the branches of a tree. It feeds upon any animals it can overpower, from small rodents to waterbuck, but generally preys on the smaller and medium-sized antelopes and deer; it appears to have a special liking for dogs as food and, in Africa, for baboons. It sometimes takes livestock and may attack human beings.

leopard Leopard (Panthera pardus) in a tree in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Digital Vision/Thinkstock

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There is no definite breeding season; the female produces two to four, usually three, cubs after a gestation period of about three months. The calls of the leopard vary and include a series of harsh coughs, throaty growls, and deep purring sounds. The animal takes to water readily and is a good swimmer.

leopard Leopard (Panthera pardus) grooming her cub in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Digital Vision/Thinkstock

Amur leopard Overview of the Amur leopard. Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz See all videos for this article

A black form, in which the ground colour as well as the spots is black, is widely known as the black panther; it is more common in Asia than in other parts of the range of the leopard. The races known as the Barbary, South Arabian, Anatolian, Amur, and Sinai leopards are listed as endangered.

The lion, tiger, and jaguar also belong to the genus Panthera. The snow leopard (ounce), leopard cat, and clouded leopard, although called leopards, are distinct genera.