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India · Sri Lanka · Kenya · Tanzania · South Africa

Save the leopard

The most adaptable big cat — and one of the most persecuted. Learn what's driving the decline and how an unrestricted gift supports WARN's in-network rescue work.

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A leopard resting on a rock in dappled forest light

In brief

Leopards have lost an estimated 63–75% of their historic range and are listed as Vulnerable — several subspecies are far more imperilled. WARN funds partner-led snare response, conflict mitigation and rescue in India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa through grants — not WARN-run facilities.

63–75%

Historic range lost (IUCN)

Vulnerable

IUCN Red List status

Endangered

Sri Lankan leopard subspecies

5

WARN in-network countries

Figures: IUCN Red List. See sources below.

The leopard crisis

The leopard is the most adaptable of the big cats — and one of the most persecuted. Quietly, it has vanished from most of its historic range. Subspecies such as the Sri Lankan leopard are now Endangered, isolated in shrinking pockets of forest.

Across India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, leopards are caught in wire snares, poisoned in retaliation for taking livestock, and killed as they move through farmland and the edges of towns. WARN makes partner grants for snare response, conflict mitigation and rescue in these in-network countries.

What threatens leopards?

Snaring & bushmeat bycatch

Wire snares set for antelope and pigs kill leopards across Asia and Africa. Leopards are among the most common big-cat victims of indiscriminate snaring.

Snares maim and kill leopards daily across their range

Retaliatory killing

When leopards take livestock — or are blamed for losses — farmers poison, trap or shoot them. Conflict is rising as leopards adapt to farmland and even towns.

Conflict is a leading cause of leopard mortality

Skin & bone trafficking

Leopard skins and bones are trafficked for traditional medicine and decoration, increasingly as a substitute for tiger parts. Illegal trade adds pressure on already declining populations.

Leopard parts substitute for tiger in some markets

Habitat loss

Forest clearance and fragmentation isolate populations. The Sri Lankan leopard and other subspecies survive in shrinking pockets with reduced genetic diversity.

Subspecies in small ranges face highest risk

Road & rail mortality

As leopards cross roads and railways at night, vehicle collisions kill breeding adults. Mitigation requires fencing, underpasses and speed enforcement.

Infrastructure kills leopards in fragmented landscapes

Leopard populations and subspecies

Population / subspeciesEstimateIUCN statusKey range
African leopardDeclining; no reliable global countVulnerable (species)Sub-Saharan Africa
Indian leopardRoughly 12,000–14,000VulnerableIndia, Nepal, Bhutan
Sri Lankan leopard700–950EndangeredSri Lanka only
Persian (Caucasian) leopard<1,000EndangeredIran, Caucasus, Central Asia
Amur leopard~120 in wildCritically EndangeredRussia–China border
Javan leopard250–500Critically EndangeredJava, Indonesia

Quick leopard facts

Scientific namePanthera pardus
WeightMales ~30–90 kg depending on region; females smaller
DietCarnivore — from insects to antelope; highly adaptable
HabitatMost adaptable big cat — forest, savanna, mountains, semi-desert
ActivityMostly nocturnal and solitary
CITESAppendix I
ClimbingStores kills in trees to avoid scavengers

Key facts

  • Leopards are the most adaptable big cats — yet they have vanished from most of their historic range.
  • Snaring, retaliatory killing and trafficking in skins and bones are among the deadliest threats.
  • Several subspecies — Amur, Javan, Sri Lankan — are Endangered or Critically Endangered.
  • Leopards increasingly enter farmland and towns, raising conflict that often ends in poisoning.
  • WARN makes partner grants in India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa for snare response, conflict mitigation and rescue.
  • An unrestricted gift still supports the most urgent partner-led rescue need across all 17 network countries.

Give Where It's Needed Most

Partner grants in India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa fund snare response, conflict mitigation and rescue for leopards.

Give where needed most Browse in-network appeals

Questions About Leopards

Are leopards endangered?
The leopard species is listed as Vulnerable and declining across most of its range. Several subspecies are far more threatened — the Amur and Javan leopards are Critically Endangered, the Sri Lankan leopard is Endangered, and leopards have disappeared from much of their historic range.
How many leopards are left?
There is no reliable global count because leopards are secretive and wide-ranging. India holds the largest estimated population at roughly 12,000–14,000. Sri Lanka has 700–950. Amur leopards number about 120 in the wild. Overall the species is declining.
Where does WARN's leopard work happen?
WARN makes partner grants in India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa for snare response, conflict mitigation and rescue. See /countries/india, /countries/sri-lanka, /countries/kenya, /countries/tanzania and /countries/south-africa.
Why are leopards under threat?
Leopards are snared, poisoned in retaliation for livestock losses, killed on roads, and trafficked for skins and bones. They are among the most persecuted big cats on Earth despite their adaptability.
Do leopards live in cities?
In parts of India and Sri Lanka, leopards enter the edges of towns and cities at night, following stray dogs and livestock. This raises conflict and retaliatory killing — humane coexistence requires sustained community work and enforcement.
Are leopard bones used like tiger bones?
Yes — as tiger populations have declined, leopard parts have increasingly substituted for tiger in some illegal markets. Both species are CITES Appendix I.
Does WARN run its own leopard sanctuary?
No. WARN makes grants to established partners in India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. It does not run WARN-branded leopard facilities.
How can I help leopards through WARN?
Donate to this leopard appeal to fund partner-led snare response, conflict mitigation and rescue in India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
Can I donate to leopard rescue from the UK?
Yes — you can give to WARN, but this is not an earmarked leopard fund. WARN is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation, not a charity, so it cannot claim Gift Aid. The donation case is transparency: low fixed costs and partner-led delivery in the countries where help is needed.

Sources