{"id":1052,"date":"2023-01-25T06:11:01","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T06:11:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wildleopard.net\/?page_id=1052"},"modified":"2026-08-04T04:16:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T04:16:09","slug":"about-the-leopard","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/about-the-leopard\/","title":{"rendered":"About this Site and About the Leopard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>About this Site and About the Leopard<\/strong> (Updated August 2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/\">Mission Leopard<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 the vision: why leopards matter, coexistence, ethics, conservation philosophy, and public engagement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/living-intelligence-assessment\/\">Blood of the Leopard<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 the evidence: investigations, intelligence, trafficking, analysis, and the living record of illegal wildlife trade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/leopardeye-ml-2026\/\">LeopardEye<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 the capability: technology, field intelligence, early warning, anti-poaching, monitoring, and practical conservation tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Image-35-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-172\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Image-35-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Image-35-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Image-35-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Image-35-1200x801.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Primarily this site contains information about <em>panthera pardus<\/em>, the leopard.   Throughout wildleopard.net you&#8217;ll find information regarding where leopards live, their habitats, their behaviour, the threats to them and many other factors and aspects connected to one of the most remarkable and adaptable animals on the planet.  Like our focus living document, <a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/bol-may-26\/\">Blood of the Leopard<\/a>, the information throughout the site is being constantly added to and updated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"547\" src=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-147-1024x547.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2022\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-147-1024x547.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-147-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-147-768x410.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-147-1536x821.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Screenshot-147.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2>About the Leopard: A Species at a Crossroads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3>IUCN Red List Status: VULNERABLE (Global)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3>Population Trend: DECREASING<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3>Four of nine subspecies are now CRITICALLY ENDANGERED. None are secure.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>The Big Picture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This page provides a clear, evidence-based overview of the leopard&#8217;s conservation status and the threats it faces. It serves as a foundation for the deeper investigations found throughout Mission Leopard including <em><a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/living-intelligence-assessment\/\">Blood of the Leopard<\/a><\/em> \u2014our living record of the illegal wildlife trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Found in more than 60 countries but vanished from many, the leopard remains the most widespread of the big cats. Yet this is a legacy of the past, not a sign of current health. The species is under constant threat through most of its range, and the crisis is deepening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>The Crisis in Numbers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Global Range:<\/strong> Once found across Africa and Asia; now extinct in at least <strong>26 countries<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Subspecies at Risk:<\/strong> <strong>4<\/strong> are Critically Endangered, <strong>1<\/strong> is Endangered, <strong>2<\/strong> are Vulnerable, <strong>1<\/strong> is Near Threatened.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Population Decline:<\/strong> Estimated <strong>&gt;30%<\/strong> global decline over the last 22 years (approximately three leopard generations).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Range Loss:<\/strong> Leopards have lost <strong>up to 75 percent<\/strong> of their historical range.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>The Nine Lives of the Leopard: A Subspecies Status Report<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are eight recognized subspecies (with a recent merge &#8211; see <em>Note on Taxonomy<\/em> below) of leopard (<em>Panthera pardus<\/em>) according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Their conservation status tells a story of escalating crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (4)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Amur Leopard<\/strong> (<em>Panthera pardus orientalis<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Russian Far East, northeastern China<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Population:<\/strong> Approximately 100\u2013120 adults (a remarkable recovery from 25\u201335 in the 2000s, but still perilously low)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats:<\/strong> Habitat loss, poaching, prey depletion, small population genetics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Arabian Leopard<\/strong> (<em>Panthera pardus nimr<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Arabian Peninsula (Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Israel)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Population:<\/strong> Estimated 70\u201384 mature individuals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats:<\/strong> Habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, poaching, small population genetics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Indochinese Leopard<\/strong> (<em>Panthera pardus delacouri<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Southeast Asia (Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, southern China)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Population:<\/strong> Fewer than <strong>800 mature individuals<\/strong> and declining<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats:<\/strong> Poaching for the traditional medicine trade, habitat loss, prey depletion. This subspecies is the primary focus of our <em>Blood of the Leopard<\/em> investigation into the online marketplace.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expert Warning:<\/strong> Conservationists have warned that &#8220;we could very easily watch this cat disappear between now and the next assessment.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Javan Leopard<\/strong> (<em>Panthera pardus melas<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Java, Indonesia<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Population:<\/strong> Estimated <strong>319 individuals<\/strong> (recently downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered\u2014a rare glimmer of hope)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats:<\/strong> Extreme habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, poaching. The subspecies is confined to an island with rapidly shrinking forest cover.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>ENDANGERED (1)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Persian Leopard<\/strong> (<em>Panthera pardus saxicolor<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Caucasus region, Afghanistan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Population:<\/strong> Estimated <strong>&lt;1,000 individuals<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats:<\/strong> Habitat loss, poaching, human-wildlife conflict, prey depletion. Recent sightings in areas where they were thought extinct offer a slender thread of hope.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>VULNERABLE (2)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>African Leopard<\/strong> (<em>Panthera pardus pardus<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Sub-Saharan Africa (and small pockets in North Africa)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Population:<\/strong> The most numerous subspecies, but rapidly disappearing across North, West, and East Africa<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats:<\/strong> Habitat loss, the commercial skin trade, retaliatory killing, poorly regulated trophy hunting. As Ofir Drori of the EAGLE Network has stated: &#8220;Traffickers are usually doing leopard skins; it&#8217;s good business for them \u2026 I definitely see an increase in it.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sri Lankan Leopard<\/strong> (<em>Panthera pardus kotiya<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Sri Lanka<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Population:<\/strong> Estimated <strong>777 individuals<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats:<\/strong> Human-wildlife conflict, habitat loss, poaching. This subspecies is at risk of following its Indian relative into a cycle of escalating conflict.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>NEAR THREATENED (1)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Indian Leopard<\/strong> (<em>Panthera pardus fusca<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Indian subcontinent (Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Population:<\/strong> Estimated up to <strong>15,000\u201320,000 individuals<\/strong> (the most populous subspecies, but this figure is at the upper end of estimates)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Threats:<\/strong> Human-wildlife conflict, poaching, habitat fragmentation, prey depletion. While listed as Near Threatened, the Indian leopard faces regional extinction in several areas and has been reduced to hunting dogs and livestock in many landscapes\u2014a stark indicator of what we have done to this animal across much of its range.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Note on Taxonomy:<\/em> The classification and recognition of subspecies can be somewhat contentious and subject to revision. For instance, the North Chinese leopard (<em>Panthera pardus japonensis<\/em>) was previously recognized as a distinct subspecies but was merged with the Amur leopard in 2017 based on genetic analysis, as they are now considered the same population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/LE-Ref-1742-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-804\" width=\"840\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/LE-Ref-1742-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/LE-Ref-1742-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/LE-Ref-1742-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/LE-Ref-1742-1-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/LE-Ref-1742-1.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2>The Leopard: An Introduction to the Species<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Leopards are large carnivorous mammals known for their distinctive rosettes, powerful build, and elusive nature. Here are some of their main characteristics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Appearance:<\/strong> Muscular build with short fur that is typically tawny or yellowish, with black rosettes. They have long tails, powerful legs, and sharp claws.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Size:<\/strong> Adult leopards range in weight from 60 to 200 pounds (27 to 91 kg) and can grow up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in length (including the tail).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adaptability:<\/strong> Leopards are highly adaptable and can be found in a wide range of habitats, from forests to grasslands to mountains. This remarkable trait has allowed them to survive in a wider range than any other big cat. However, it also brings them into frequent and often fatal conflict with humans.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Solitary Hunters:<\/strong> Primarily nocturnal hunters, although they may also be active during the day. They hunt a variety of prey, including antelope, deer, monkeys, and small mammals and birds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tree Climbers:<\/strong> Skilled climbers known to drag their prey into trees to keep it away from other predators and scavengers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Elusive Nature:<\/strong> Notoriously difficult to spot in the wild due to excellent camouflage and solitary behavior. While this makes them difficult to study, it also makes them difficult to protect\u2014they can vanish from a landscape before their decline is even noticed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Geographic Range:<\/strong> Found throughout much of Africa and parts of Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, and the Russian Far East.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/leopard-behaviour-a-new-feature-page\/\">Leopard Behaviour<\/a><\/strong>  <em>New feature section now online<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>The Drivers of Extinction: Threats to the Leopard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding the species&#8217; status requires understanding the forces driving its decline. These are the primary threats, explored in depth across our projects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>1. Illegal Wildlife Trade (Poaching &amp; Trafficking)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The primary driver for many subspecies. Leopards are killed for their skins (used for ceremonial and status purposes), bones (used in traditional medicine), claws, and other body parts. The trade is now facilitated by online platforms, as documented in our <em>Blood of the Leopard<\/em> investigation. <strong>[Explore: BoL \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/bol-the-online-marketplace\/\">The Online Marketplace<\/a> | BoL \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/bol-may-26\/\">Africa Context<\/a> <\/strong><em>preview at BOL overview page<\/em><strong> | BoL \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/bol-may-26\/\">South Asia Context<\/a> <\/strong><em>preview at BOL overview page<\/em><strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>2. Habitat Loss and Fragmentation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As human populations expand, leopard habitats are destroyed and broken into smaller, isolated patches. This is particularly critical for the Javan, Indochinese, and Arabian leopards, whose remaining habitats are already severely limited. Fragmentation isolates populations, reduces genetic diversity, and increases vulnerability to inbreeding and local extinction.  <strong>[Explore &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/bol-habitat-loss\/\">Habitat Loss<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>3. Human-Wildlife Conflict<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Retaliatory killing by communities whose livestock is predated upon is a significant cause of leopard deaths. As natural prey is depleted, leopards are forced to hunt domestic animals, bringing them into direct conflict with people. This dynamic is a crisis in India and Nepal, and it is growing across Africa. <strong>[Explore &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/bol-the-coexistence-paradox\/\">The Coexistence Paradox<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>4. Decline of Prey Species<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Overhunting of wild ungulates and other prey species by humans leaves leopards with fewer natural food sources, forcing them to turn to livestock and escalating conflict with communities.  This issue is a defining aspect linked to bushmeat poaching leading to human &#8211; predator conflict is discussed at different in various contexts throughout <a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/bol-may-26\/\">Blood of the Leopard<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>5. Poorly Regulated Trophy Hunting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In several African countries, leopards are legally hunted for trophies. While proponents argue this provides revenue for conservation, the practice raises significant ethical questions and, when poorly managed, threatens the very populations it claims to support. <strong>[Explore: Upcoming BoL \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/bol-may-26\/\">Trophy Hunting Section<\/a> <\/strong><em>preview at BOL overview page<\/em><strong>]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>Living Document Notice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This page is a living overview of the leopard&#8217;s conservation status and biology. It is regularly updated as new data emerges. For deeper investigations into the threats facing the species and the networks driving the illegal trade, please explore  <em><a href=\"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/living-intelligence-assessment\/\">Blood of the Leopard<\/a><\/em> and the wider Mission Leopard site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The information herein provides the foundation upon which our work stands. The leopards cannot afford for us to look away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About this Site and About the Leopard (Updated August 2026) Mission Leopard \u2013 the vision: why leopards matter, coexistence, ethics, conservation philosophy, and public engagement. Blood of the Leopard \u2013 the evidence: investigations, intelligence, trafficking, analysis, and the living record of illegal wildlife trade. LeopardEye \u2013 the capability: technology, field intelligence, early warning, anti-poaching, monitoring, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1052"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1052"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2662,"href":"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1052\/revisions\/2662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildleopard.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}