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The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera. It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of 92–183 cm (36–72 in) with a 66–102 cm (26–40 in) long tail and a shoulder height of 60–70 cm (24–28 in).
- Overview
- Distribution
- Natural history
- Conservation status
leopard, (Panthera pardus), 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 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.
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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.
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.
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.
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The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified P. pardus as a vulnerable species, with the number of leopards worldwide estimated at several hundred thousand individuals. The fortunes of each of the nine recognized leopard subspecies, however, vary greatly. Heavily qualified estimates place the population of African leopar...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Nov 27, 2014 · Size. Leopards are larger than a house cat, but leopards are the smallest members of the large cat category. They grow to only 3 to 6.2 feet (92 to 190 centimeters) long. Their...
Length. 90-190. cm inch. The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera, a member of the cat family, Felidae.
Leopards aren’t as large as other big cats, but they’re by no means small! Male leopards weigh between 80-165lbs and females weigh between 45-135lbs. They will reach 28 inches in height on average.
- A leopard is a well known species in the big cat family known for its golden fur and dark spots (rosettes) that cover it’s body.
- Despite being the smallest of the four big cat species (lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards) the leopard is pound-for-pound the strongest. In fact,...
- They have developed spots (or rosettes) over their body to help them camouflage themselves in their surroundings. This might sound strange as you w...
- Leopards live in Africa and Asia and can be found in countries like China, Russia, Korea and India.
- They make a number of different noises including meowing, hissing, grunting and growling.
- A leopard can reach heights of up to 10 feet when they jump and leap 20 feet forward.
- In the wild a leopard has a number of predators including lions, hyenas, painted dogs and tigers.
- People have connected leopards with spiritualism for a long time, with the belief that it is a symbol of power, confidence, dignity and restraint.
- Up to speeds of 35mph.
Aug 3, 2023 · The male leopards can grow up to 28 inches while the females are shorter and reach up to 25 inches. The length spans across 6 feet, and they usually weigh between 130 to 190 pounds. Did you know? As one of the big five animals, leopards are pound for pound the strongest of the big cats.
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Length. 104-142. cm inch. The Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent. The Indian leopard is one of the big cats occurring on the Indian subcontinent, along with the Asiatic lion, Bengal tiger, Snow leopard and Clouded leopard.
