Endangered The leopard is a large, graceful cat with a long, lithe build. Its scientific classification is Panthera pardus, part of the family Felidae. A very strong and agile cat, the leopard is a proficient climber quite at home in the branches of a tree. Consisting of more than 20 subspecies, the leopard is the most successful of the great cats in both range and population due to its ability to adapt to diverse habitats.
Leopards currently range from the tip of southern Africa to the Far East.
Solitary and most frequently nocturnal, the leopard hunts by stealth rather than by speed or numbers. Despite its relative success, the leopard, as with all the great cats, is an endangered species due to habitat loss and excessive hunting for it's prized coat. Often mistaken for a jaguar, the leopard has the classic rosette coat pattern of dark brown or black irregular circles against a golden, tan, or yellow background. While the jaguar has fewer and larger rosettes which enclose smaller spots. The leopard's tail is generally darker while the underbelly is white with less clearly defined rosettes.