Difference between revisions of "Leopard" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Taxobox
 
{{Taxobox
 
| color = pink
 
| color = pink
 
| name = Leopard
 
| name = Leopard
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| status = LC
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| status = IUCN3.1
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| status_ref = <ref>{{IUCN2006|assessors=Cat Specialist Group|year=2002|id=15954|title=Panthera pardus|downloaded=12 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern</ref>
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| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>[http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/15954/0 Panthera pardus] The ICUN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved June 28, 2018. </ref>
 
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| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758
 
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758
 
| synonyms = <center>'''''Felis pardus''''' <small>[[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758</small></center>
 
| synonyms = <center>'''''Felis pardus''''' <small>[[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758</small></center>
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| range_map = Leopard distribution.gif
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The '''leopard''' (''Panthera pardus'') is an [[Old World]] [[mammal]] of the [[Felidae]] family and  one of the four "[[Felidae|big cats]]' in the ''[[Panthera]]'' [[genus]], along with the [[tiger]] (''P. tigris''), the [[lion]] (''P. leo'') and the [[jaguar]] (''P. onca''). The leopard is the fourth-largest of these, after the tiger, lion, and jaguar.  
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The '''leopard''' ''(Panthera pardus)'' is an [[Old World]] [[mammal]] of the [[Felidae]] family and  one of the four "big cats" in the ''[[Panthera]]'' [[genus]], along with the [[tiger]] ''(P. tigris)'', the [[lion]] ''(P. leo)'', and the [[jaguar]] ''(P. onca)''. The leopard is the fourth largest cat in the world, after the tiger, lion, and jaguar.  
  
 
Leopards are either light colored (pale yellow to deep gold or tawny) with black rosettes or with black fur. The melanistic leopards, which are either all-black or very dark in coloration, are known as [[black panther]]s.  
 
Leopards are either light colored (pale yellow to deep gold or tawny) with black rosettes or with black fur. The melanistic leopards, which are either all-black or very dark in coloration, are known as [[black panther]]s.  
  
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The leopard is the most widely distributed of the big cats, being mainly found in most of sub-Saharan [[Africa]] and in south [[Asia]], and including fragmented populations in North Africa, the Middle East, India, Indochina, Malaysia, and western China (Grzimek et al. 2004). It was once distributed across southern Eurasia and Africa from Korea to South Africa and Spain, but it has disappeared from much of its former range.
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The leopard is the most widely distributed of the big cats, being mainly found in most of sub-Saharan [[Africa]] and in south [[Asia]], and including fragmented populations in North Africa, the Middle East, India, Indochina, Malaysia, and western China (Grzimek et al. 2004). It was once distributed across southern Eurasia and Africa from Korea to South Africa and Spain, but it has disappeared from much of its former range. The African subspecies, ''Panthera pardus pardus'', is the most widely distributed of the seven to nine recognized extant subspecies, occurring over most of the leopard's range (Grzimek et al. 2004).
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Most leopards tend to avoid humans, but people occasionally are targeted as prey. There have been some notable killings where leopards have became habituated to attacking people, even entering human settlements.  Nonetheless, like other entities in nature, leopards exhibit benefits for [[ecosystem]]s and for humans. One of the [[ecology|ecological]] values is that leopards help to control the population levels of prey species such as [[ungulate]]s, [[rodent]]s, and even [[invertebrate]]s. Leopards help maintain the structural integrity of ecological systems, whether rainforest, forest, grasslands, or desert. For humans, leopards add to the wonder of nature, and are popular attractions both in the wild, where their rare sighting can offer a memorable experience in [[ecotourism]] adventures, and in captivity, such as in [[zoo]]s.
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{{toc}}
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Some cats are called leopards, but they actually belong to other species: [[clouded leopard]] ''(Neofelis nebulosa)'', [[Bornean clouded leopard]] ''(Neofelis diardi)'', and [[snow leopard]] ''(Uncia uncia)''.
  
 
==Description==
 
==Description==
  
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The leopard most closely resembles the [[jaguar]] physically, although it is of lighter build. Males can grow to weigh 91 kg (200 lb) and the females can weigh 60 kg (132 lb). However, in parts of their range where larger cats (i.e. the [[lion]] in Africa and the tiger in Asia) are absent, leopards may grow considerably larger. Certain subspecies, such as the now possibly extinct anatolian leopard, were known to reach almost jaguar-sized proportions at times.
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The leopard most closely resembles the [[jaguar]] physically, although it is of lighter build. Males can grow to weigh 91 kg (200 lb) and the females can weigh 60 kg (132 lb). However, in parts of their range where larger cats (i.e. the [[lion]] in Africa and the tiger in Asia) are absent, leopards may grow considerably larger. Certain subspecies, such as the now possibly extinct Anatolian leopard, were known to reach almost jaguar-sized proportions at times.
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In the light-colored leopards, the pale yellow, deep gold, or tawny fur are marked by black rosettes ([[rose]]-like markings or formations that are found in clusters and patches on the fur). The head, lower limbs, and belly are spotted with solid black (Grzimek et al. 2004).
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Particularly in mountainous areas and [[rain forest]]s, there occurs a melanistic morph of the leopard, the [[black panther]]. The black color is heritable and caused by only one [[recessive]] [[gene]] locus. In some regions, for example on the [[Malayan Peninsula]], up to 50 percent of all leopards are black. In Africa, black leopards seem to be most common in the [[Ethiopian Highlands]].
  
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In the light-colored leopards, there are black rosettes on the pale yellow, deep gold, or tawny fur. The head, lower limbs, and belly are spotted with solid black (Grzimek et al. 2004).
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A pseudo-melanistic leopard has a normal background color, but its excessive markings have coalesced so that its back seems to be an unbroken expanse of black.  
  
 
Although it is common for a leopard to be mistaken for a [[cheetah]] due to their spots, they can actually be easily distinguished. The leopard has a heavier, stockier body and has a larger head in proportion to its body, and has rosettes rather than dots. Leopards also lack the black "tear-streak" markings that run from the inner corners of the cheetah's eyes to the corners of its mouth. Additionally, cheetahs run much faster than leopards do and generally do not climb trees, whereas leopards are excellent climbers. Also, leopards are more active at night searching for their prey ([[nocturnal]]), whereas cheetahs are usually [[Diurnal animal|diurnal]].
 
Although it is common for a leopard to be mistaken for a [[cheetah]] due to their spots, they can actually be easily distinguished. The leopard has a heavier, stockier body and has a larger head in proportion to its body, and has rosettes rather than dots. Leopards also lack the black "tear-streak" markings that run from the inner corners of the cheetah's eyes to the corners of its mouth. Additionally, cheetahs run much faster than leopards do and generally do not climb trees, whereas leopards are excellent climbers. Also, leopards are more active at night searching for their prey ([[nocturnal]]), whereas cheetahs are usually [[Diurnal animal|diurnal]].
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=== Black Panthers ===
 
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{{main|Black Panther}}
 
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Particularly in mountainous areas and [[rain forests]] occurs a melanistic morph of the leopard, the [[black panther]]. The black colour is heritable and caused by only one [[recessive]] [[gene]] locus. In some regions, for example on the [[Malayan Peninsula]] up to 50% of all leopards are black. In Africa black leopards seem to be most common in the [[Ethiopian Highlands]].
 
  
 
==Behavior==
 
==Behavior==
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Leopards are infamous for their ability to go undetected. They sometimes live practically among humans and are usually still tough to spot. They are graceful and stealthy. Among the big cats they are probably the most accomplished stalkers. They are good, agile climbers, but can not get down from a tree headfirst, because they do not have the ankle flexibility — the only two cats that do are the [[Margay]] and the [[Clouded Leopard]]. [[Image:leopard rear view soft.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Female leopard viewed from behind.  Note the white spots on the back of the ears used for communication with cubs when hunting in long grass]]Along with climbing, they are strong swimmers but not as fond of water as tigers; for example, leopards will not normally lie in water. They are mainly nocturnal but can be seen at any time of day and will even hunt during daytime on overcast days. In regions where they are hunted, nocturnal behaviour is more common. These cats are solitary, avoiding one another. However, 3 or 4 are sometimes seen together. Hearing and eyesight are the strongest of these cats' senses and are extremely acute. Olfaction is relied upon as well, but not for hunting. When making a threat, leopards stretch their backs, depress their ribcages between their shoulder blades so they stick out, and lower their heads (similar to domestic cats). During the day they may lie in bush, on rocks, or in a tree with their tails hanging below the treetops and giving them away.
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Leopards are known as being secretive and solitary (Grzimek et al. 2004). Both males and females tend to be solitary, although females will be with their cubs. However, three or four leopards are sometimes seen together.  
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===Diet and hunting===
 
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Leopards are truly opportunistic hunters. They will eat just about any animal. Their diet consists mostly of [[ungulate]]s and [[monkey]]s, but [[rodent]]s, [[reptile]]s, [[amphibian]]s, [[bird]]s, [[fish]], are also eaten. In fact, they hunt about 90 different species of animals. A solitary [[dog]], itself a formidable predator, is a potential prey for leopards, although a pack of dogs can tree or drive off a leopard. In Africa, mid-sized antelopes provide a majority of the leopard's prey, especially [[Impala]] and [[Thomson's gazelle]]s.  Leopards are known to take animals up to the size of an adult eland <ref>http://www.profleeberger.com/taphonomymain.html</ref>. In Asia the leopard preys on deer such as [[chital]]s and [[muntjac]]s as well as various Asian antelopes and [[Ibex]]. It stalks its prey silently and at the last minute pounces on its prey and strangles its throat with a quick bite. Leopards are capable of carrying animals up to three times their own weight into the trees.
 
  
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[[Image:Leopard on the tree.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Leopard resting on a tree]]
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Leopards are infamous for their ability to go undetected. They sometimes live practically among humans and are usually still tough to spot. They are graceful and stealthy. Among the big cats, they are probably the most accomplished stalkers. They are good, agile climbers, but can not get down from a tree headfirst, because they do not have the ankle flexibility&mdash; the only two cats that do are the [[Margay]] ''(Leopardus wiedii)'' and the [[Clouded Leopard]] ''(Neofelis nebulosa)'', which can descend tree trunks headfirst.  
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Because of their wide range, leopards face competition with a variety of other predators notably [[lion]]s, [[tiger]]s, [[hyena]]s and various species of wild [[Canidae|dog]]s. Leopards avoid direct competition by hunting at different times of the day and avoiding areas frequented by them. Also in areas with large numbers of large predators, they typically store their kills out of reach in trees. Contrary to popular belief however, leopards don't always store their food in trees. Many if not most kills are dragged and hidden in dense vegetation.  
 
  
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Although most leopards will tend to avoid humans, people are occasionally targeted as prey. Most healthy leopards prefer wild prey to humans, but cats who are injured, sickly or struggling with a shortage of regular prey often turn to hunting people and may become habituated to it. In the most extreme cases, both in India, a leopard dubbed "the Leopard of Rudraprayag" is claimed to have killed over 125 people and the infamous leopardess called "Panar Leopard" killed over 400 after being injured by a poacher and thus being made unable to hunt normal prey. The "[[Leopard of Rudraprayag]]" and the "[[Panar Leopard]]" were both killed by the legendary hunter [[Jim Corbett (hunter)|Jim Corbett]]. Man-eating leopards are considered bold and commonly enter human settlements for prey, moreso than their lion and tiger counterparts. However because they can subsist on small prey and are less dependent on large prey, leopards are less likely to turn to man-eating than either lions or tigers.
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[[Image:leopard walking.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Female leopard in the Sabi Sands area of South Africa. Note the white spot on the tail used for communicating with cubs while hunting or in long grass]]
  
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===Reproduction===
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Along with climbing, leopards are strong swimmers, but not as fond of water as [[tiger]]s. For example, leopards will not normally lie in water. They are mainly nocturnal but can be seen at any time of day and will even hunt during daytime on overcast days. In regions where they are hunted, nocturnal behaviour is more common.  
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A male may follow a female who catches his attention. Eventually fighting for reproductive rights can take place. Depending on the region, leopards may mate all year round (India and Africa) or seasonally during January to February (Manchuria and Siberia). The estrous cycle lasts about 46 days and the female usually is in heat for 6–7 days. Cubs are usually born in a litter of 2–3, but infant mortality is high and mothers are not commonly seen with more than 1–2 cubs. The pregnant females find a cave, crevice among boulders, hollow tree, or thicket to give birth and make a den. Cubs open their eyes after a period of 10 days. The fur of the young tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. Their pelage is also more gray in color with less defined spots. Around 3 months the infants begin to follow the mother out on hunts. At one year of age leopard young can probably fend for themselves but they remain with the mother for 18–24 months.
 
  
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Hearing and eyesight are the strongest of these cats' senses and are extremely acute. Olfaction is relied upon as well, but not for hunting. When making a threat, leopards stretch their backs, depress their ribcages between their shoulder blades so they stick out, and lower their heads (similar to domestic cats). During the day they may lie in bush, on rocks, or in a tree with their tails hanging below the treetops and giving them away.
  
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==Leopards and humans==
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===Diet and hunting===
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[[Image:Dionysos panther Louvre K240.jpg|thumb|[[Dionysus]] and a panther. Crater. [[The Louvre]] c. 370 B.C.E.]]
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Leopards are truly opportunistic hunters. They will eat just about any animal. Their diet consists mostly of [[ungulate]]s and [[monkey]]s, but [[beetle]]s, [[rodent]]s, [[reptile]]s, [[amphibian]]s, [[bird]]s, and [[fish]] also are eaten. In fact, they hunt about 90 different species of animals. A solitary [[dog]], itself a formidable predator, is a potential prey for leopards, although a pack of dogs can tree or drive off a leopard. In Africa, mid-sized [[antelope]]s provide a majority of the leopard's prey, especially [[Impala]] and [[Thomson's gazelle]]s. Leopards are known to take animals up to the size of an adult [[eland]]. In Asia, the leopard preys on [[deer]] such as [[chital]]s and [[muntjac]]s, as well as various Asian antelopes and [[Ibex]].  
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Leopards have been known to humans since antiquity and have featured in the art, mythology and folklore of many countries where they have occurred historically, such as [[Ancient Greece]], [[Persia]] and Rome, as well as some where they haven't such as [[England]]. The modern use of the leopard as an emblem for sport or coat of arms is much more restricted to Africa, though numerous products worldwide have used the name.
 
  
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===Tourism===
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Leopards hunt alone and mainly at night, relying on stealth despite being able to reach speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour (36 miles per hour) (Grzimek et al. 2004). The leopard stalks its prey silently and at the last minute pounces on its prey and strangles its throat with a quick bite. Leopards are capable of carrying animals up to three times their own weight into the trees. Contrary to popular belief however, leopards do not always store their food in trees. Many, if not most, kills are dragged and hidden in dense vegetation.  
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Despite its size, this largely [[nocturnal]] and [[arboreal]] [[predator]] is difficult to see in the wild. [[Image:Leopard near driver.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A female leopard in the Sabi Sands of South Africa illustrating just how close tourists can get to these wild cats.]]The best location to see leopards in Africa is in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve in [[South Africa]], where leopards are habituated to [[safari]] vehicles and are seen on a daily basis at very close range. [[Image:leopard walking.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Female leopard in the Sabi Sands area of South Africa.  Note the white spot on the tail used for communicating with cubs while hunting or in long grass]]In Asia, one can see leopards [[Yala National Park]] in [[Sri Lanka]], which has the world's highest density of wild leopards, but even here sightings are by no means guaranteed because more than half the park is closed off to the public, allowing the animals to thrive. Another good destination for leopard watching is the recently reopened [[Wilpattu National Park]], also in Sri Lanka. In [[India]] the leopards are found all over the country and there is maximum man-animal conflict here only as they are spread everywhere.The best places in India can be national parks in [[Madhya Pradesh]] and in [[Uttarakhand]].
 
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===Heraldry===
 
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[[Image:England coat of arms.jpg|right|100px|thumb|Coat of arms of England]]
 
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{{main|Leopard (heraldry)}}
 
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The lion passant guardant or "leopard" is a frequently used [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] in [[heraldry]], most commonly appearing in groups of three. The heraldric leopard lacks spots and sports a mane, making it visually almost identical to the [[lion (heraldry)|heraldric lion]], and the two are often used interchangably. These traditional lion passant guardants appear in the [[coat of arms of England]] and many of its former colonies; more modern naturalistic (leopard-like) depictions appear on the coat of arms of several African nations including [[coat of arms of Benin|Benin]], [[Coat of arms of Malawi|Malawi]], [[Coat of arms of Somalia|Somalia]], [[Coat of arms of the Democratic Republic of the Congo|Democratic Republic of the Congo]] and  [[Coat of arms of Gabon|Gabon]] which uses a black panther.
 
  
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===The Leopard Men===
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[[Image:Leopard on the tree.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Leopard resting on a tree]]
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The [[Leopard Society|Leopard men]] were a West African secret society who practised cannibalism. They were centred in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire.
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Because of their wide range, leopards face competition with a variety of other predators, notably [[lion]]s, [[tiger]]s, [[hyena]]s, and various species of wild [[Canidae|dog]]s. Leopards avoid direct competition by hunting at different times of the day and avoiding areas frequented by them. Also, in areas with large numbers of large predators, they typically store their kills out of reach in trees.  
  
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Members would dress in leopard skins, waylaying travellers with sharp claw-like weapons in the form of leopards' claws and teeth. The victims' flesh would be cut from their bodies and distributed to members of the society. In theory the ritual cannibalism would strengthen both members of the society as well as their entire tribe.
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Although most leopards will tend to avoid humans, people are occasionally targeted as prey. Most healthy leopards prefer wild prey to humans, but some cats, including those that are injured, sickly, or struggling with a shortage of regular prey, may turn to hunting people and may become habituated to it. In the two most extreme cases, both in [[India]], a leopard dubbed "the Leopard of Rudraprayag" is claimed to have killed over 125 people and the infamous leopardess called "Panar Leopard" killed over 400 after being injured by a poacher and thus being made unable to hunt normal prey. The "Leopard of Rudraprayag" and the "Panar Leopard" were both killed by the legendary hunter [[Jim Corbett (hunter)|Jim Corbett]].  
  
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===Modern culture===
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Man-eating leopards are considered bold and commonly enter human settlements for prey, moreso than their lion and tiger counterparts. However, because they can subsist on small prey and are less dependent on large prey, leopards are less likely to turn to man-eating than either lions or tigers.
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Possibly the most famous cinematic leopard is the pet in the film [[Bringing Up Baby]] (1938) where its misadventures create madcap comedy for stars [[Cary Grant]] and [[Katharine Hepburn]]; the movie is one of the [[American Film Institute]]'s "100 Greatest (American) Films".
 
  
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* In the 1999 ''[[Tarzan (1999 film)|Tarzan]]'' movie by [[Walt Disney Pictures|Disney]], a vicious leopard, [[Sabor (Tarzan)|Sabor]], was [[Tarzan]]'s natural and mortal enemy, although the [[Mangani]] name for leopards established in the books is "Sheeta".
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===Reproduction===
  
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* In ''[[Passion in the Desert]]'' (1997), a French soldier (played by British actor [[Ben Daniels]]) while lost in [[Egypt]] during [[Napoleon]]'s Egyptian campaign stumbles upon a leopard and develops a strange relationship with the animal.<ref>{{imdb title|id=0125980|title=Passion in the Desert (1997)}}</ref>
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Leopards are polygamous. A male may follow a female who catches his attention. Eventually fighting for reproductive rights can take place.  
  
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Traditionally, the leopard is an uncommon name or [[mascot]] for sporting teams, though it has been used in several African [[soccer]] teams: the [[AFC Leopards]], formed in 1964, are a soccer club based in [[Nairobi]], [[Kenya]], while the [[Black Leopards]] play in [[South Africa]]'s [[Premier Soccer League]], the [[Royal Leopards]] in [[Swaziland]]'s [[Premier League]], and the [[Golf Leopards]] in the [[Sierra Leone National Premier League]]. More recently, the leopard emblem has been a part of the [[English Basketball League]] since the 1990s with the [[Essex Leopards]] and later [[London Leopards]]. The [[New Zealand Rugby League]] has featured the [[Otahuhu Leopards]] and then the [[Tamaki Leopards]].
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Depending on the region, leopards may mate all year round (India and Africa) or seasonally during January to February (Manchuria and Siberia). Birth peaks may coincide with the bird season of many prey animals (Grzimek et al. 2004).
  
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The [[Nissan Leopard]] was a luxury [[sports car]] produced by [[Nissan]] in the 1980s.
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The estrous cycle lasts about 46 days and the female usually is in heat for six to seven days. Cubs are usually born in a litter of two or three, but infant mortality is high and mothers are not commonly seen with more than one or two cubs. The pregnant females find a cave, crevice among boulders, hollow tree, or thicket to give birth and make a den. Cubs open their eyes after a period of ten days.  
  
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The [[fur]] of the young tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. Their pelage is also more gray in color with less defined spots. Around 3 months. the infants begin to follow the mother out on hunts. At one year of age leopard young can probably fend for themselves, but they remain with the mother for 18–24 months.
  
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==Etymology==
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Female cubs may settle in a range overlapping the mother, and offspring often have reunions with mothers (Grzimek et al. 2004).
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Originally, it was thought that a leopard was a [[hybrid]] between a lion and a [[black panther|panther]], and the leopard's common name derives from this belief; ''leo'' is the [[Greek Language|Greek]] and [[Latin]] word for ''lion'' (Greek ''leon'', ''λέων'') and ''pard'' is an old term meaning ''panther''. In fact, a "panther" can be any of several species of large [[felid]]. In North America, panther means [[cougar]] and in South America a panther is a [[jaguar]]. Elsewhere in the world a panther is a leopard. Early [[natural history|naturalists]] distinguished between leopards and panthers not by colour (a common misconception), but by the length of the tail &mdash; panthers having longer tails than leopards. It was one of the many species originally described, as ''Felis pardus'', by [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] in his 18th&nbsp;century work, ''[[Systema Naturae]]''.<ref>{{la icon}} {{cite book  | last=Linnaeus | first=C | authorlink=Carolus Linnaeus  | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. | publisher=Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii). | date=1758| pages=824 | url=http://dz1.gdz-cms.de/index.php?id=img&no_cache=1&IDDOC=265100}}</ref>
 
  
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The generic component of its scientific designation, ''Panthera pardus'', is often presumed to derive from Greek ''pan-'' ("all") and ''ther'' ("beast"), but this may be a [[folk etymology]]. Although it came into English through the classical languages, ''panthera'' is probably of East Asian origin, meaning "the yellowish animal," or "whitish-yellow".<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=panther | title = "Panther" | work = Online Etymology Dictionary | publisher = [[Douglas Harper]] | accessdate = 2007-07-05}}</ref>
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==Leopards and humans==
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Leopards have been known to humans since antiquity and have featured in the art, mythology, and folklore of many countries where they have occurred historically, such as [[Ancient Greece]], [[Persia]] and Rome, as well as some where they have not, such as [[England]]. The modern use of the leopard as an emblem for sport or coat of arms is much more restricted to Africa, though numerous products worldwide have used the name. Leopards are frequently featured in movies.  
  
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===Tourism===
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[[Image:Leopard near driver.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A female leopard in the Sabi Sands of South Africa illustrating just how close tourists can get to these wild cats.]]
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Despite its size, this largely [[nocturnal]] and [[arboreal]] [[predator]] is difficult to see in the wild. One of the best location to see leopards in Africa is in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve in [[South Africa]], where leopards are habituated to [[safari]] vehicles and are seen on a daily basis at very close range.
  
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In Asia, one can see leopards in [[Yala National Park]] in [[Sri Lanka]], which has the world's highest density of wild leopards, but even here sightings are by no means guaranteed because more than half the park is closed off to the public, allowing the animals to thrive. Another good destination for leopard watching is the recently reopened [[Wilpattu National Park]], also in Sri Lanka. In [[India]], leopards are found all over the country and there is maximum man-animal conflict here. As noted above, humans are sometimes hunted by leopards. The best places in India can be national parks in [[Madhya Pradesh]] and in [[Uttarakhand]].
  
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==Taxonomy==
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Leopards are a popular attraction in [[zoo]]s.
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===Subspecies===
 
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[[Image:Panther.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Indian Leopard]]
 
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It has been suggested that there may be as many as 30 extant subspecies of the Leopard.
 
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However, modern taxonomic analyses have demonstrated that only 8/9 subspecies are valid.<ref> Olga Uphyrkina ''et al.'' (November 2001). ''Phylogenetics, genome diversity and origin of modern leopard, Panthera pardus''. Molecular Ecology, Volume 10, Issue 11, Page 2617. [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.0962-1083.2001.01350.x?cookieSet=1 Abstract] </ref><ref>Sriyanie Miththapala. (August 1996). ''Phylogeographic Subspecies Recognition in Leopards (''Panthera pardus''): Molecular Genetic Variation.'' Conservation Biology,
 
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Volume 10, Issue 4, Page 1115. [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1996.10041115.x Abstract]</ref>   
 
  
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*[[Indo-Chinese Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus delacouri''), [[Indochina|Mainland Southeast Asia]]
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===Heraldry===
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*[[Indian Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus fusca''), India, South eastern Pakistan, Nepal 
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[[File:Benin.gif|right|200px|thumb|Coat of arms of Benin]]
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*[[North China Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus japonensis''), China
 
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*[[Sri Lanka Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus kotiya''), [[Sri Lanka]]
 
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*[[Java Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus melas''), [[Java]]
 
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*[[Amur Leopard|Amur leopard]] (''Panthera pardus orientalis''), Russian [[Far East]], Northern China, Korea
 
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*[[African Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus pardus''), Africa
 
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*[[Persian Leopard]] or [[Iranian leopard]] (''Panthera pardus saxicolor''), [[Southwest Asia]] 
 
−
*[[Arabian Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus nimr''), [[Arabian Peninsula]]; Often included in the Persian Leopard (''Panthera pardus saxicolor'')
 
−
[[Image:Leo4.JPG|thumb|right|220px|Sri Lankan Leopard]]
 
−
'''Other subspecies under the old taxonomic division:'''
 
  
−
Today usually included in the African Leopard (''Panthera pardus pardus''):
+
The lion passant guardant or "leopard" is a frequently used [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] in [[heraldry]]. The heraldric leopard often lacks spots and sports a mane, making it visually almost identical to the [[lion (heraldry)|heraldric lion]], and the two are often used interchangably. These traditional lion passant guardants appear in the coat of arms of [[England]] and many of its former colonies. More modern naturalistic (leopard-like) depictions appear on the coat of arms of several African nations including [[Benin]], [[Malawi]], [[Somalia]], [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], and [[Gabon]] which uses a black panther.
−
* [[Barbary Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus panthera'')
 
−
* [[Cape Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus melanotica'')
 
−
* [[Central African Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus shortridgei'')
 
−
* [[Congo Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus ituriensis'')
 
−
* [[East African Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus suahelica'')
 
−
* [[Eritrean Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus antinorii'')
 
−
* [[Somalian Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus nanopardus'')
 
−
* [[Ugandan Leopard]] ((''Panthera pardus chui'')
 
−
* [[West African Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus reichinowi'')
 
−
* [[West African Forest Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus leopardus'')
 
−
* [[Zanzibar Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus adersi'')
 
  
−
Today usually included in The Persian Leopard (''Panthera pardus saxicolor''):
+
===The Leopard Men===
−
* [[Anatolian Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus tulliana'')
+
The [[Leopard Society|Leopard men]] were a West African secret society who practiced cannibalism. They were centered in [[Sierra Leone]], [[Liberia]], and [[Côte d'Ivoire]].
−
* [[Baluchistan Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus sindica'')
 
−
* [[Caucasus Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus ciscaucasica'')
 
−
* [[Central Persian Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus dathei'')
 
−
* [[Sinai Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus jarvisi'')
 
  
−
Today usually included in The Indian Leopard (''Panthera pardus fusca'')
+
Members would dress in leopard skins, waylaying travelers with sharp claw-like weapons in the form of leopards' claws and teeth. The victims' flesh would be cut from their bodies and distributed to members of the society. In theory, the ritual cannibalism would strengthen both members of the society as well as their entire tribe.
−
* [[Kashmir Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus millardi'')
 
−
* [[Nepal Leopard]] (''Panthera pardus pernigra'')
 
  
−
===Prehistoric extinct subspecies===
+
==Etymology==
−
* [[European leopard]] (''Panthera pardus sickenbergi'') (†)
+
Originally, it was thought that a leopard was a [[hybrid]] between a lion and a [[black panther|panther]], and the leopard's common name derives from this belief. ''Leo'' is the [[Greek Language|Greek]] and [[Latin]] word for ''lion'' (Greek ''leon'', ''λέων'') and ''pard'' is an old term meaning ''panther''.
 +
 
 +
In reality, the term "panther" is used for several species of large [[Felidae|felid]]. In North America, panther means [[cougar]] and in South America a panther is a [[jaguar]]. Elsewhere in the world, a panther is a leopard.
  
−
===Unrelated species called "leopards"===
+
Early [[natural history|naturalists]] distinguished between leopards and panthers not by color (a common misconception), but by the length of the tail&mdash;panthers having longer tails than leopards. It was one of the many species originally described as ''Felis pardus'', by [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] in his eighteenth&nbsp;century work, ''Systema Naturae'' (Linnaeus 1758). 
−
Some cats are called leopards, but they belong to other species:
 
−
* [[Clouded Leopard]], ''Neofelis nebulosa''
 
−
* [[Bornean Clouded Leopard]], ''Neofelis diardi''
 
−
* [[Snow Leopard]], ''Uncia uncia''
 
  
−
==King Leopard==
+
The generic component of its scientific designation, ''Panthera pardus'', is often presumed to derive from Greek ''pan-'' ("all") and ''ther'' ("beast"), but this may be a [[folk etymology]]. Although it came into English through the classical languages (Old French ''pantere'' "panther," from Latin ''panthera'', from Greek ''panther'' "panther, leopard," ''panthera'' is probably of East Asian origin.<ref>[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=panther Panther]. ''Online Etymology Dictionary''. Retrieved June 29, 2018.</ref>
−
<!--not copyvio - messybeast.com has given permission for big cats content to be reproduced on wikipedia-->
 
−
A pseudo-melanistic leopard has a normal background colour, but its excessive markings have coalesced so that its back seems to be an unbroken expanse of black. In some specimens, the area of solid black extends down the flanks and limbs; only a few lateral streaks of golden-brown indicate the presence of normal background colour. Any spots on the flanks and limbs that have not merged into the mass of swirls and stripes are unusually small and discrete, rather than forming rosettes. The face and underparts are paler and dappled like those of ordinary spotted leopards.
 
  
−
In a paper about panthers and ounces of Asia, [[Reginald Innes Pocock]] used a photo of a leopard skin from southern India; it had large black-rimmed blotches, each containing a number of dots and it resembled the pattern of a jaguar or clouded leopard. Another of Pocock's leopard skins from southern India had the normal rosettes broken up and fused and so much additional pigment that the animal looked like a black leopard streaked and speckled with yellow.
+
==Taxonomy==
 +
===Subspecies===
 +
[[Image:Panther.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Indian Leopard]]
 +
It has been suggested that there may be as many as 30 extant subspecies of the leopard.
 +
However, modern taxonomic analyses have demonstrated that only seven-nine subspecies are valid (Grzimek et al. 2004; Uphyrkina et al. 2001; Miththapala 1996). The nine recognized subspecies are:
  
−
Most other colour morphs of leopards are known only from paintings or museum specimens. There have been very rare examples where the spots of a normal black leopard have coalesced to give a jet black leopard with no visible markings. Pseudo-melanism (abundism) occurs in leopards. The spots are more densely packed than normal and merge to largely obscure the background colour. They may form swirls and, in some places, solid black areas. Unlike a true black leopard the tawny background colour is visible in places. One pseudo-melanistic leopard had a tawny orange coat with coalescing rosettes and spots, but white belly with normal black spots (like a black-and-tan dog).
+
*[[Indo-Chinese leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus delacouri)'', [[Indochina|Mainland Southeast Asia]]
 +
*[[Indian leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus fusca)'', India, South eastern Pakistan, Nepal 
 +
*[[North China leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus japonensis)'', China
 +
*[[Sri Lanka leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus kotiya)'', [[Sri Lanka]]
 +
*[[Java leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus melas)'', [[Java]]
 +
*[[Amur Leopard|Amur leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus orientalis)'', Russian [[Far East]], Northern China, Korea
 +
*[[African leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus pardus)'', Africa
 +
*[[Persian leopard]] or [[Iranian leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus saxicolor)'', [[Southwest Asia]] 
 +
*[[Arabian leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus nimr)'', [[Arabian Peninsula]]; Often included in the Persian leopard ''(Panthera pardus saxicolor)''
  
−
A 1910 description of a pseudo-melanistic leopard:
+
Grzimek et al. (2004) recognize the following seven subspecies: ''Panthera p. pardus'' (African subspecies), ''Panthera p. orientalis'' (Amur leopard), ''Panthera p. tulliana'' (Anatolian leopard), ''Panthera p. panthera'' (Barbary leopard), ''Panthera p. nimr'' (south Arabian leopard), ''Panthera p. adersi'' (Zanzibar leopard), and ''Panthera p. jarvisi'' (Sinai leopard). They report that four subspecies are critical endangered: South Arabian, Anatolian, Amur, and Barbary leopards, and the Zanzibar leopard may be [[extinction|extinct]].  
−
{{quote|There is, however, a peculiar dark phase in South Africa, a specimen of which was obtained in 1885 in hilly land covered with scrub-jungle, near Grahamstown. The ground-colour of this animal was a rich tawny, with an orange tinge; but the spots, instead of being of the usual rosette-like form, were nearly all small and solid, like those on the head of an ordinary leopard; while from the top of the head to near the root of the tail the spots became almost confluent, producing the appearance of a broad streak of black running down the back. A second skin had the black area embracing nearly the whole of the back and flanks, without showing any trace of the spots, while in those portions of the skin where the latter remained they were of the same form as in the first specimen. Two other specimens are known; the whole four having been obtained from the Albany district. These dark-coloured South African leopards differ from the black leopards of the northern and eastern parts of Africa and Asia in that while in the latter the rosette-like spots are always retained and clearly visible, in the former the rosettes are lost – as, indeed, is to a considerable extent often the case in ordinary African leopards – and all trace of spots disappears from the blacker portions of the skin.|Lydekker, R. (1910)|''Harmsworth Natural History''}}
 
  
−
Another pseudo-melanistic leopard skin was described in 1915 by Holdridge Ozro Collins who had purchased it in 1912. It had been killed in Malabar, India that same year.
+
====Other subspecies under the old taxonomic division====
  
−
{{quote|The wide black portion, which glistens like the sheen of silk velvet, extends from the top of the head to the extremity of the tail entirely free from any white or tawny hairs … In the tiger, the stripes are black, of a uniform character, upon a tawny background, and they run in parallel lines from the centre of the back to the belly. In this skin, the stripes are almost golden yellow, without the uniformity and parallelism of the tiger characteristics, and they extend along the sides in labyrinthine graceful curls and circles, several inches below the wide shimmering black continuous course of the back. The extreme edges around the legs and belly are white and spotted like the skin of a leopard … The skin is larger than that of a leopard but smaller than that of a full grown tiger.|Collins, Holdridge Ozro(1915)}}
+
Today usually included in the African leopard ''(Panthera pardus pardus)'':
 +
* [[Barbary leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus panthera)''
 +
* [[Cape leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus melanotica)''
 +
* [[Central African leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus shortridgei)''
 +
* [[Congo leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus ituriensis)''
 +
* [[East African leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus suahelica)''
 +
* [[Eritrean leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus antinorii)''
 +
* [[Somalian leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus nanopardus)''
 +
* [[Ugandan leopard]] (''(Panthera pardus chui)''
 +
* [[West African leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus reichinowi)''
 +
* [[West African Forest leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus leopardus)''
 +
* [[Zanzibar leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus adersi)''
  
−
In May 1936, the [[British Natural History Museum]] exhibited the mounted skin of an unusual Somali leopard. The pelt was richly decorated with an intricate pattern of swirling stripes, blotches, curls and fine-line traceries. This is different from a spotted leopard, but similar to a [[King Cheetah]] hence the modern [[cryptozoology]] term '''King Leopard'''. Between 1885 and 1934, six pseudo-melanistic leopards were recorded in the Albany and Grahamstown districts of South Africa. This indicated a mutation in the local leopard population. Other King Leopards have been recorded from Malabar in southwestern India. Shooting for trophies may have wiped out these populations.
+
Today usually included in the Persian leopard ''(Panthera pardus saxicolor)'':
 +
* [[Anatolian leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus tulliana)''
 +
* [[Baluchistan leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus sindica)''
 +
* [[Caucasus leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus ciscaucasica)''
 +
* [[Central Persian leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus dathei)''
 +
* [[Sinai leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus jarvisi)''
  
 +
Today usually included in the Indian leopard ''(Panthera pardus fusca)''
 +
* [[Kashmir Leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus millardi)''
 +
* [[Nepal Leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus pernigra)''
  
 +
===Prehistoric extinct subspecies===
 +
* [[European leopard]] ''(Panthera pardus sickenbergi)'' (†)
  
 +
==Notes==
 +
<references/>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
{{Reflist}}
+
* Allsen, T. T. 2006. Natural history and cultural history: The circulation of hunting leopards in Eurasia, Seventh-Seventeenth Centuries. In V. H. Mair, ed., ''Contact and Exchange in the Ancient World'', University of Hawaii Press, 116-135. ISBN 0824828844
−
{{refbegin}}
+
* DeRuiter, D. J., and L. R. Berger. 2000. Leopards as taphonomic agents in dolomitic caves: Implications for bone accumulations in the hominid-bearing deposits of South Africa. ''J. Arch. Sci.'' 27: 665-684.
−
* Allsen, Thomas T. (2006). "Natural History and Cultural History: The Circulation of Hunting Leopards in Eurasia, Seventh-Seventeenth Centuries." In: ''Contact and Exchange in the Ancient World''. Ed. Victor H. Mair. University of Hawai'i Press. Pp. 116-135. ISBN-13: ISBN 978-0-8248-2884-4; ISBN-10: ISBN 0-8248-2884-4
+
* Grzimek, B., D. G. Kleiman, V. Geist, and M. C. McDade. 2004. ''Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia.'' Detroit: Thomson-Gale. ISBN 0787657883
−
* Grzimek, B., D. G. Kleiman, V. Geist, and M. C. McDade. 2004. ''Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia.'' Detroit: Thomson-Gale. ISBN 0787657883.
+
* Linnaeus, C. 1758. ''Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata''. Holmiae (Laurentii Salvii).
−
 
+
* Miththapala, S., J. Seidensticker, and S. J. O'Brien. 1996. [https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/4298/Miththapala1996.pdf Phylogeographic subspecies recognition in leopards ''(Panthera pardus)'': Molecular genetic variation]. ''Conservation Biology'' 10(4): 1115. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
−
 
+
* Uphyrkina, O., W. E. Johnson, H. Quigley, D. Miquelle, L. Marker, M. Bush, and S. J. O'Brien. 2001. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11883877 Phylogenetics, genome diversity and origin of modern leopard, ''Panthera pardus'']. ''Molecular Ecology'' 10(11): 2617. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
−
* Khalaf-von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2005). [http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Arabischer_Leopard.html The Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus nimr)]. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 42, June 2005. pp. 1-8. (in German).
 
−
* Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2006). [http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Chinese_Leopard.html The Chinese Leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis, Gray 1862) in Neunkirchen Zoo, Neunkirchen, Saarland, Germany]. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 60, December 2006. pp. 1-10.
 
−
* Leopards and spots on ears and tail [http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-leopard.html]
 
−
* DeRuiter, D.J. and [[Lee R. Berger|Berger, L.R.]] (2000) Leopards as Taphonomic Agents in dolomitic Caves - Implications for bone Accumulations in the Hominid-bearing Deposits of South Africa. J. Arch. Sci. 27, 665-684.  
 
−
{{refend}}
 
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
−
* [http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/carnivores/leopard.html Pictures and Information on Leopards]
+
All links retrieved October 25, 2022.
−
* [http://www.landmarkfoundation.org.za/leopard.htm South African Leopard and Predator Conservation]
+
* [http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/carnivores/leopard.html Leopard] The Animal Files.  
−
* [http://www.awf.org/wildlives/147 Leopard: Wildlife summary from the African Wildlife Foundation]
+
* [http://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/leopard Leopard] African Wildlife Foundation.  
−
* [http://about-south-africa.com/html/leopard.html African leopard]
+
* [http://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/specialfeatures/animals/mammals/leopard.xml  Leopard] The Nature Conservatory
−
* [http://www.nature.org/animals/mammals/animals/leopard.html The Nature Conservatory's Species Profile: Leopard]
 
  
−
{{commonscat|Panthera pardus}}
+
[[Category:Life sciences]]
−
{{Wikispecies|Panthera pardus}}
+
[[Category:Animals]]
−
* [http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Panthera_pardus_nimr/ Images and movies of the South Arabian leopard ''(Panthera pardus nimr)''] from ARKive
+
[[Category:Mammals]]
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* [http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Panthera_pardus_kotiya/ Images and movies of the Sri Lankan leopard ''(Panthera pardus kotiya)''] from ARKive
+
[[Category:Carnivores]]
−
* [http://members.aol.com/cattrust/leopard.htm The Cat Survival Trust: Leopard]
 
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* [http://home.globalcrossing.net/~brendel/leopard.html The Cyber Zoomobile: Leopard]
 
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* [http://lynx.uio.no/lynx/catfolk/ssaprd01.htm Catfolk Species Account: Leopard]
 
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* [http://www.amur-leopard.org/ Saving the Amur Leopard]
 
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* [http://www.pperrywildlifephotos.org.sz/ Leopards of Sabi Sand Game Reserve]
 
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* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6452555.stm BBC News: Clouded leopards found on Sumatra and Borneo]
 
  
 
{{credit|Leopard|150479796}}
 
{{credit|Leopard|150479796}}
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[[Category:Life sciences]]
 

Latest revision as of 21:56, 25 October 2022


Leopard
African Leopard in Serengeti, Tanzania
African Leopard in Serengeti, Tanzania
Conservation status
IUCN3.1 
[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Panthera
Species: P. pardus
Binomial name
Panthera pardus
Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
Felis pardus Linnaeus, 1758

The leopard (Panthera pardus) is an Old World mammal of the Felidae family and one of the four "big cats" in the Panthera genus, along with the tiger (P. tigris), the lion (P. leo), and the jaguar (P. onca). The leopard is the fourth largest cat in the world, after the tiger, lion, and jaguar.

Leopards are either light colored (pale yellow to deep gold or tawny) with black rosettes or with black fur. The melanistic leopards, which are either all-black or very dark in coloration, are known as black panthers.

The leopard is the most widely distributed of the big cats, being mainly found in most of sub-Saharan Africa and in south Asia, and including fragmented populations in North Africa, the Middle East, India, Indochina, Malaysia, and western China (Grzimek et al. 2004). It was once distributed across southern Eurasia and Africa from Korea to South Africa and Spain, but it has disappeared from much of its former range. The African subspecies, Panthera pardus pardus, is the most widely distributed of the seven to nine recognized extant subspecies, occurring over most of the leopard's range (Grzimek et al. 2004).

Most leopards tend to avoid humans, but people occasionally are targeted as prey. There have been some notable killings where leopards have became habituated to attacking people, even entering human settlements. Nonetheless, like other entities in nature, leopards exhibit benefits for ecosystems and for humans. One of the ecological values is that leopards help to control the population levels of prey species such as ungulates, rodents, and even invertebrates. Leopards help maintain the structural integrity of ecological systems, whether rainforest, forest, grasslands, or desert. For humans, leopards add to the wonder of nature, and are popular attractions both in the wild, where their rare sighting can offer a memorable experience in ecotourism adventures, and in captivity, such as in zoos.

Some cats are called leopards, but they actually belong to other species: clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), Bornean clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), and snow leopard (Uncia uncia).

Description

The leopard most closely resembles the jaguar physically, although it is of lighter build. Males can grow to weigh 91 kg (200 lb) and the females can weigh 60 kg (132 lb). However, in parts of their range where larger cats (i.e. the lion in Africa and the tiger in Asia) are absent, leopards may grow considerably larger. Certain subspecies, such as the now possibly extinct Anatolian leopard, were known to reach almost jaguar-sized proportions at times.

In the light-colored leopards, the pale yellow, deep gold, or tawny fur are marked by black rosettes (rose-like markings or formations that are found in clusters and patches on the fur). The head, lower limbs, and belly are spotted with solid black (Grzimek et al. 2004).

Particularly in mountainous areas and rain forests, there occurs a melanistic morph of the leopard, the black panther. The black color is heritable and caused by only one recessive gene locus. In some regions, for example on the Malayan Peninsula, up to 50 percent of all leopards are black. In Africa, black leopards seem to be most common in the Ethiopian Highlands.

A pseudo-melanistic leopard has a normal background color, but its excessive markings have coalesced so that its back seems to be an unbroken expanse of black.

Although it is common for a leopard to be mistaken for a cheetah due to their spots, they can actually be easily distinguished. The leopard has a heavier, stockier body and has a larger head in proportion to its body, and has rosettes rather than dots. Leopards also lack the black "tear-streak" markings that run from the inner corners of the cheetah's eyes to the corners of its mouth. Additionally, cheetahs run much faster than leopards do and generally do not climb trees, whereas leopards are excellent climbers. Also, leopards are more active at night searching for their prey (nocturnal), whereas cheetahs are usually diurnal.

Behavior

Leopards are known as being secretive and solitary (Grzimek et al. 2004). Both males and females tend to be solitary, although females will be with their cubs. However, three or four leopards are sometimes seen together.

Leopards are infamous for their ability to go undetected. They sometimes live practically among humans and are usually still tough to spot. They are graceful and stealthy. Among the big cats, they are probably the most accomplished stalkers. They are good, agile climbers, but can not get down from a tree headfirst, because they do not have the ankle flexibility— the only two cats that do are the Margay (Leopardus wiedii) and the Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), which can descend tree trunks headfirst.

Female leopard in the Sabi Sands area of South Africa. Note the white spot on the tail used for communicating with cubs while hunting or in long grass

Along with climbing, leopards are strong swimmers, but not as fond of water as tigers. For example, leopards will not normally lie in water. They are mainly nocturnal but can be seen at any time of day and will even hunt during daytime on overcast days. In regions where they are hunted, nocturnal behaviour is more common.

Hearing and eyesight are the strongest of these cats' senses and are extremely acute. Olfaction is relied upon as well, but not for hunting. When making a threat, leopards stretch their backs, depress their ribcages between their shoulder blades so they stick out, and lower their heads (similar to domestic cats). During the day they may lie in bush, on rocks, or in a tree with their tails hanging below the treetops and giving them away.

Diet and hunting

Leopards are truly opportunistic hunters. They will eat just about any animal. Their diet consists mostly of ungulates and monkeys, but beetles, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and fish also are eaten. In fact, they hunt about 90 different species of animals. A solitary dog, itself a formidable predator, is a potential prey for leopards, although a pack of dogs can tree or drive off a leopard. In Africa, mid-sized antelopes provide a majority of the leopard's prey, especially Impala and Thomson's gazelles. Leopards are known to take animals up to the size of an adult eland. In Asia, the leopard preys on deer such as chitals and muntjacs, as well as various Asian antelopes and Ibex.

Leopards hunt alone and mainly at night, relying on stealth despite being able to reach speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour (36 miles per hour) (Grzimek et al. 2004). The leopard stalks its prey silently and at the last minute pounces on its prey and strangles its throat with a quick bite. Leopards are capable of carrying animals up to three times their own weight into the trees. Contrary to popular belief however, leopards do not always store their food in trees. Many, if not most, kills are dragged and hidden in dense vegetation.

Leopard resting on a tree

Because of their wide range, leopards face competition with a variety of other predators, notably lions, tigers, hyenas, and various species of wild dogs. Leopards avoid direct competition by hunting at different times of the day and avoiding areas frequented by them. Also, in areas with large numbers of large predators, they typically store their kills out of reach in trees.

Although most leopards will tend to avoid humans, people are occasionally targeted as prey. Most healthy leopards prefer wild prey to humans, but some cats, including those that are injured, sickly, or struggling with a shortage of regular prey, may turn to hunting people and may become habituated to it. In the two most extreme cases, both in India, a leopard dubbed "the Leopard of Rudraprayag" is claimed to have killed over 125 people and the infamous leopardess called "Panar Leopard" killed over 400 after being injured by a poacher and thus being made unable to hunt normal prey. The "Leopard of Rudraprayag" and the "Panar Leopard" were both killed by the legendary hunter Jim Corbett.

Man-eating leopards are considered bold and commonly enter human settlements for prey, moreso than their lion and tiger counterparts. However, because they can subsist on small prey and are less dependent on large prey, leopards are less likely to turn to man-eating than either lions or tigers.

Reproduction

Leopards are polygamous. A male may follow a female who catches his attention. Eventually fighting for reproductive rights can take place.

Depending on the region, leopards may mate all year round (India and Africa) or seasonally during January to February (Manchuria and Siberia). Birth peaks may coincide with the bird season of many prey animals (Grzimek et al. 2004).

The estrous cycle lasts about 46 days and the female usually is in heat for six to seven days. Cubs are usually born in a litter of two or three, but infant mortality is high and mothers are not commonly seen with more than one or two cubs. The pregnant females find a cave, crevice among boulders, hollow tree, or thicket to give birth and make a den. Cubs open their eyes after a period of ten days.

The fur of the young tends to be longer and thicker than that of adults. Their pelage is also more gray in color with less defined spots. Around 3 months. the infants begin to follow the mother out on hunts. At one year of age leopard young can probably fend for themselves, but they remain with the mother for 18–24 months.

Female cubs may settle in a range overlapping the mother, and offspring often have reunions with mothers (Grzimek et al. 2004).

Leopards and humans

Leopards have been known to humans since antiquity and have featured in the art, mythology, and folklore of many countries where they have occurred historically, such as Ancient Greece, Persia and Rome, as well as some where they have not, such as England. The modern use of the leopard as an emblem for sport or coat of arms is much more restricted to Africa, though numerous products worldwide have used the name. Leopards are frequently featured in movies.

Tourism

A female leopard in the Sabi Sands of South Africa illustrating just how close tourists can get to these wild cats.

Despite its size, this largely nocturnal and arboreal predator is difficult to see in the wild. One of the best location to see leopards in Africa is in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve in South Africa, where leopards are habituated to safari vehicles and are seen on a daily basis at very close range.

In Asia, one can see leopards in Yala National Park in Sri Lanka, which has the world's highest density of wild leopards, but even here sightings are by no means guaranteed because more than half the park is closed off to the public, allowing the animals to thrive. Another good destination for leopard watching is the recently reopened Wilpattu National Park, also in Sri Lanka. In India, leopards are found all over the country and there is maximum man-animal conflict here. As noted above, humans are sometimes hunted by leopards. The best places in India can be national parks in Madhya Pradesh and in Uttarakhand.

Leopards are a popular attraction in zoos.

Heraldry

Coat of arms of Benin

The lion passant guardant or "leopard" is a frequently used charge in heraldry. The heraldric leopard often lacks spots and sports a mane, making it visually almost identical to the heraldric lion, and the two are often used interchangably. These traditional lion passant guardants appear in the coat of arms of England and many of its former colonies. More modern naturalistic (leopard-like) depictions appear on the coat of arms of several African nations including Benin, Malawi, Somalia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gabon which uses a black panther.

The Leopard Men

The Leopard men were a West African secret society who practiced cannibalism. They were centered in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Côte d'Ivoire.

Members would dress in leopard skins, waylaying travelers with sharp claw-like weapons in the form of leopards' claws and teeth. The victims' flesh would be cut from their bodies and distributed to members of the society. In theory, the ritual cannibalism would strengthen both members of the society as well as their entire tribe.

Etymology

Originally, it was thought that a leopard was a hybrid between a lion and a panther, and the leopard's common name derives from this belief. Leo is the Greek and Latin word for lion (Greek leon, λέων) and pard is an old term meaning panther.

In reality, the term "panther" is used for several species of large felid. In North America, panther means cougar and in South America a panther is a jaguar. Elsewhere in the world, a panther is a leopard.

Early naturalists distinguished between leopards and panthers not by color (a common misconception), but by the length of the tail—panthers having longer tails than leopards. It was one of the many species originally described as Felis pardus, by Linnaeus in his eighteenth century work, Systema Naturae (Linnaeus 1758).

The generic component of its scientific designation, Panthera pardus, is often presumed to derive from Greek pan- ("all") and ther ("beast"), but this may be a folk etymology. Although it came into English through the classical languages (Old French pantere "panther," from Latin panthera, from Greek panther "panther, leopard," panthera is probably of East Asian origin.[2]

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Indian Leopard

It has been suggested that there may be as many as 30 extant subspecies of the leopard. However, modern taxonomic analyses have demonstrated that only seven-nine subspecies are valid (Grzimek et al. 2004; Uphyrkina et al. 2001; Miththapala 1996). The nine recognized subspecies are:

  • Indo-Chinese leopard (Panthera pardus delacouri), Mainland Southeast Asia
  • Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca), India, South eastern Pakistan, Nepal
  • North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis), China
  • Sri Lanka leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya), Sri Lanka
  • Java leopard (Panthera pardus melas), Java
  • Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis), Russian Far East, Northern China, Korea
  • African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus), Africa
  • Persian leopard or Iranian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor), Southwest Asia
  • Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr), Arabian Peninsula; Often included in the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor)

Grzimek et al. (2004) recognize the following seven subspecies: Panthera p. pardus (African subspecies), Panthera p. orientalis (Amur leopard), Panthera p. tulliana (Anatolian leopard), Panthera p. panthera (Barbary leopard), Panthera p. nimr (south Arabian leopard), Panthera p. adersi (Zanzibar leopard), and Panthera p. jarvisi (Sinai leopard). They report that four subspecies are critical endangered: South Arabian, Anatolian, Amur, and Barbary leopards, and the Zanzibar leopard may be extinct.

Other subspecies under the old taxonomic division

Today usually included in the African leopard (Panthera pardus pardus):

  • Barbary leopard (Panthera pardus panthera)
  • Cape leopard (Panthera pardus melanotica)
  • Central African leopard (Panthera pardus shortridgei)
  • Congo leopard (Panthera pardus ituriensis)
  • East African leopard (Panthera pardus suahelica)
  • Eritrean leopard (Panthera pardus antinorii)
  • Somalian leopard (Panthera pardus nanopardus)
  • Ugandan leopard ((Panthera pardus chui)
  • West African leopard (Panthera pardus reichinowi)
  • West African Forest leopard (Panthera pardus leopardus)
  • Zanzibar leopard (Panthera pardus adersi)

Today usually included in the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor):

  • Anatolian leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana)
  • Baluchistan leopard (Panthera pardus sindica)
  • Caucasus leopard (Panthera pardus ciscaucasica)
  • Central Persian leopard (Panthera pardus dathei)
  • Sinai leopard (Panthera pardus jarvisi)

Today usually included in the Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca)

  • Kashmir Leopard (Panthera pardus millardi)
  • Nepal Leopard (Panthera pardus pernigra)

Prehistoric extinct subspecies

  • European leopard (Panthera pardus sickenbergi) (†)

Notes

  1. ↑ Panthera pardus The ICUN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  2. ↑ Panther. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved June 29, 2018.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Allsen, T. T. 2006. Natural history and cultural history: The circulation of hunting leopards in Eurasia, Seventh-Seventeenth Centuries. In V. H. Mair, ed., Contact and Exchange in the Ancient World, University of Hawaii Press, 116-135. ISBN 0824828844
  • DeRuiter, D. J., and L. R. Berger. 2000. Leopards as taphonomic agents in dolomitic caves: Implications for bone accumulations in the hominid-bearing deposits of South Africa. J. Arch. Sci. 27: 665-684.
  • Grzimek, B., D. G. Kleiman, V. Geist, and M. C. McDade. 2004. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Detroit: Thomson-Gale. ISBN 0787657883
  • Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Holmiae (Laurentii Salvii).
  • Miththapala, S., J. Seidensticker, and S. J. O'Brien. 1996. Phylogeographic subspecies recognition in leopards (Panthera pardus): Molecular genetic variation. Conservation Biology 10(4): 1115. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  • Uphyrkina, O., W. E. Johnson, H. Quigley, D. Miquelle, L. Marker, M. Bush, and S. J. O'Brien. 2001. Phylogenetics, genome diversity and origin of modern leopard, Panthera pardus. Molecular Ecology 10(11): 2617. Retrieved June 29, 2018.

External links

All links retrieved October 25, 2022.

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