One of Africa’s most iconic spotted big cats is running out of space – and out of time. Globally, leopards have lost nearly 75% of their historical range and in 67% of South Africa, leopards are already extinct. Without urgent intervention to mitigate habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict, we could lose leopards forever. This International Leopard Day, conservation groups highlight the urgent need to protect remaining leopard populations and the wild spaces they roam.
Despite their wide distribution, leopards are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with populations continuously decreasing. Leopards once roamed across nearly 35 million square kilometers throughout Africa, the Middle East and Asia, but today the 75% decline of their natural range has led to only 8.5 million square kilometers.
These animals once roamed across more than 35 African countries, thriving in diverse habitats ranging from the savannas of East Africa and deserts of Southern Africa to the rainforests of West Africa and the mountains of North Africa. There is no reliable estimate on the number of leopards left in Africa, although there is compelling evidence that subpopulations have likely declined considerably. In North Africa, the situation is particularly severe, with an estimated 97% reduction of their former range—enough to qualify leopards in that region as Critically Endangered. Sub-Saharan Africa has the healthiest populations of their range, but numbers are also falling. The IUCN estimates that this population has declined by more than 30% over the past 22 years, and this trend is likely to continue without intervention. The most marked range loss has been in the Sahel belt, as well as in Nigeria, Malawi and, importantly, South Africa where leopards have become extinct in 67% of the country.
The main culprits in leopard population decline are habitat loss, lack of prey availability and human-wildlife conflict. Leopards need large territories and healthy populations of prey animals to survive. But as forests and savannahs are cleared for agriculture and infrastructure, leopards have lost the space they need to hunt and breed. With confinement and natural prey becoming scarce, leopards are forced to roam closer to human settlements and farmlands to catch livestock or game animals. This often leads to human-wildlife conflict and retaliatory killings by farmers and ranchers. Research in South Africa has shown that leopards are often killed due to real or perceived threats to livestock, even when they are not the culprits.
At the same time, the illegal wildlife trade poses a growing risk. Leopard skins, claws, teeth, and bones are trafficked for traditional medicine, decoration, and ceremonial clothing, particularly in parts of Southern and West Africa. Poorly regulated trophy hunting and the widespread use of wire snares further threaten leopard populations.
The decline in leopard populations not only risks the species’ extinction, but also the health of the planet. Leopards play a crucial ecological role as apex predators, helping to control herbivore populations and maintain ecosystem balance. While it’s possible to increase leopard populations, it’s a slow and challenging process. Leopards have low reproductive rates—females usually give birth to just two or three cubs every two years—and their young remain dependent for extended periods, which further limits population growth.
But there is hope! Leopards are known for their adaptability and are still widely distributed through the country in some protected areas across Africa, such as Kruger National Park in South Africa and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Conservation efforts to restore and protect habitats are crucial to prevent further decline and to ensure that leopards continue to be a part of Africa’s rich biodiversity.
Peter Knights, CEO of Wild Africa, says, “Leopards are perhaps the perfect predators—strong, agile, and incredibly stealthy. If we can promote tools that enable them to coexist with expanding agriculture, they are highly adaptable and can survive. If not, they will face the threat of extinction like many other big cats.”
This International Leopard Day, Wild Africa urges governments, communities, and conservation partners to help save a spot for these iconic species by giving them space and mitigating human-wildlife conflict for peaceful coexistence.
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Author: Leozette Roode from Wild Africa on behalf of Wild Africa.
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