Editing Leopard (section)

{{Short description|Species of cat native to Africa and Asia}}
{{Other uses|Leopard (disambiguation)|Leopards (disambiguation)}}
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{{Speciesbox
| name = Leopard
| fossil_range = {{fossilrange|Early Pleistocene | Present}}
| image = African leopard male (cropped).jpg <!--- Please do not change consensus image. This was agreed upon at the talk page ---->
| image_caption = Male [[African leopard]] in [[Maasai Mara National Reserve]], [[Kenya]]
| status = VU
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |title=''Panthera pardus'' |name-list-style=amp |author1=Stein, A.B. |author2=Gerngross, P. |author3=Al Hikmani, H. |author4=Balme, G. |author5=Bertola, L. |author6=Drouilly, M. |author7=Farhadinia, M.S. |author8=Feng, L. |author9=Ghoddousi, A. |author10=Henschel, P. |author11=Jhala, Y. |author12=Khorozyan, I. |author13=Kittle, A.  |author14=Laguardia, A. |author15=Luo, S.-J. |author16=Mann, G. |author17=Miquelle, D. |author18=Moheb, Z. |author19=Raza, H. |author20=Rostro-García, S. |author21=Shivakumar, S. |author22=Song, D. |author23=Wibisono, H. |year=2024 |page=e.T15954A254576956 |access-date=30 June 2024}}</ref>
| status2 = CITES_A1
| status2_system = CITES
| status2_ref = <ref name=IUCN/>
| taxon = Panthera pardus<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Wozencraft |id=14000250 |pages=547 |heading=Species ''Panthera pardus''}}</ref>
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])
| subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
| subdivision = See [[#Living subspecies|text]]
| range_map = Leopard distribution.jpg
| range_map_caption = Present and historical distribution of the leopard<ref name=IUCN/>
| synonyms = 
}}

The '''leopard''' ('''''Panthera pardus''''') is one of the five extant cat [[species]] in the [[Genus (biology)|genus]] ''[[Panthera]]''. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in [[Rosette (zoology)|rosette]]s. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of {{cvt|92|-|183|cm}} with a {{cvt|66|-|102|cm|}} long tail and a shoulder height of {{cvt|60|-|70|cm}}. Males typically weigh {{cvt|30.9|-|72|kg}}, and females {{cvt|20.5|-|43|kg}}.

The leopard was first [[Species description|described]] in 1758, and several [[subspecies]] were proposed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, eight subspecies are recognised in its wide range in [[Africa]] and [[Asia]]. It initially evolved in Africa during the [[Early Pleistocene]], before migrating into Eurasia around the Early–[[Middle Pleistocene]] transition. [[European leopard|Leopards were formerly present across Europe]], but became extinct in the region at around the end of the [[Late Pleistocene]]-early [[Holocene]].

The leopard is adapted to a variety of habitats ranging from [[rainforest]] to [[steppe]], including [[Aridity|arid]] and montane areas. It is an [[Generalist and specialist species|opportunistic]] predator, hunting mostly [[ungulate]]s and [[primate]]s. It relies on its spotted pattern for [[camouflage]] as it stalks and ambushes its prey, which it sometimes drags up a tree. It is a [[solitary animal]] outside the mating season and when raising cubs. Females usually give birth to a litter of 2–4 cubs once in 15–24 months. Both male and female leopards typically reach [[sexual maturity]] at the age 2–2.5 years.

Listed as [[Vulnerable species|Vulnerable]] on the [[IUCN Red List]], leopard populations are currently threatened by [[habitat loss]] and fragmentation, and are declining in large parts of the global range. Leopards have had cultural roles in [[Ancient Greece]], [[West Africa]] and modern Western culture. Leopard skins are popular in fashion.