The leopard (Panthera pardus) is an Old World mammal of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four 'big cats' of the genus Panthera, along with the tiger, lion, and jaguar. Leopards that are either all-black or very dark in coloration, are known colloquially as Black Panthers. --------------------------------- Once distributed across southern Eurasia and Africa, from Korea to South Africa and Spain, it has disappeared from much of its former range and now chiefly occurs in sub-saharan Africa. There are fragmented populations in the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, Malaysia, and western China. Despite the loss of range and continued population declines, the cat remains a least concern species; its numbers are greater than that of the other Panthera species, all of which face more acute conservation concerns. ----------------------------------- The species' success owes in part to its opportunistic hunting behaviour and its adaptability to a variety of habitats. The leopard consumes virtually any animal it can catch and ranges from rainforest to desert. Its ecological role resembles that of the similarly-sized cougar in the Americas. Physically, the spotted cat most closely resembles the jaguar, although it is of lighter build.--------------------The Barbary Leopard, Panthera pardus panthera, which inhabits the Atlas Mountains of northwest Africa, closely resembles the familiar African leopard. It is a stockier creature than the typical Panthera pardus, with a thicker coat owing to its snowy home. According to some sources, it is adapted in camel-like fashion to the desert and can go almost a month without drinking. Like other leopards, it is an able hunter, capable of bringing down an antelope twice its weight. It will also eat insects and any smaller animals, especially the Barbary macaque. ----------------------------------- It is an endangered subspecies, however, reports vary as to how many remain in captivity and the wild. Estimates can range from total extinction to a dozen in captivity to as many as 250 wild specimens. Last news is that some footprints in Atlas, Morocco, were found by Spanish researchers and therefore confirm the existence of a population. Some expeditions may be on the way to obtain new information about it.