Living Beings
    Source-identified Panthera pardus; Documentary organism photograph. Framed for display
    1 / 1

    African Leopard Near Okevi Waterhole Etosha Namibia.jpg · Resized and converted to WebP for display. Documentary organism photograph. Axel Tschentscher · CC BY-SA 4.0

    Field guide · species

    Leopard

    Panthera pardus

    AnimaliaMammaliaCarnivoraFelidae

    Rosettes, a muscular body and an unusually flexible choice of habitat distinguish the leopard. This solitary cat hunts from cover and can carry prey into trees, putting a meal beyond the reach of some competing carnivores.

    Public research profile · final editorial review pending.

    Compare species
    Tree of lifeScientific lineage
    1. LifeLife
    2. DomainEukaryota
    3. KingdomAnimalia
    4. PhylumChordata
    5. ClassMammalia
    6. OrderCarnivora
    7. FamilyFelidae
    8. GenusPanthera
    9. SpeciesPanthera pardus
    Advanced classification

    Complete source lineage, including intermediate ranks. The standard view uses Life and the eight principal ranks.

    1. cellular organisms cellular root
    2. Eukaryota domain
    3. Opisthokonta clade
    4. Metazoa kingdom
    5. Eumetazoa clade
    6. Bilateria clade
    7. Deuterostomia clade
    8. Chordata phylum
    9. Craniata subphylum
    10. Vertebrata clade
    11. Gnathostomata clade
    12. Teleostomi clade
    13. Euteleostomi clade
    14. Sarcopterygii superclass
    15. Dipnotetrapodomorpha clade
    16. Tetrapoda clade
    17. Amniota clade
    18. Mammalia class
    19. Theria clade
    20. Eutheria clade
    21. Boreoeutheria clade
    22. Laurasiatheria superorder
    23. Carnivora order
    24. Feliformia suborder
    25. Felidae family
    26. Pantherinae subfamily
    27. Panthera genus
    28. Panthera pardus species
    Open in taxonomy explorer ↗

    Physical traits

    Dark rosettes cover most of the coat, while the face and limbs have smaller spots. Melanistic individuals retain the same underlying pattern.

    Scientific source ↗

    Habitat and range

    Leopards use forest, woodland, savanna and rocky country. Cover and opportunities to stalk prey matter more than any single vegetation type.

    Scientific source ↗

    Diet and nutrition

    Prey includes mammals of varied sizes. Hunting choices reflect local availability rather than one universal prey species.

    Scientific source ↗

    Behavior and activity

    Adults usually live alone and communicate through scent marks and calls. A leopard approaches prey closely before a short attack.

    Scientific source ↗

    Reproduction and life cycle

    Females rear dependent cubs in sheltered sites. Young learn to hunt before becoming independent.

    Scientific source ↗

    Geographic distribution

    The species occurs in Africa and parts of Asia. Its current distribution is fragmented; a historical range should not be read as continuous present-day occupancy.

    Scientific source ↗

    Ecological role

    Leopards are predators within diverse food webs and compete with other large carnivores.

    Scientific source ↗

    Distinctive adaptations

    Climbing ability, camouflage and flexible hunting behavior help leopards exploit varied landscapes.

    Scientific source ↗

    Conservation

    Habitat loss, persecution and depletion of prey threaten populations. Regional conditions differ; this account does not assign a new Red List category.

    Scientific source ↗

    Evidence

    Sources

    Connected life

    No reviewed ecological connections in the collection yet.

    Explore network ↗
    Sample ad · Layout preview
    Forest horizontal sample ad design — visual placement demonstration