Listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List under Criterion A2cd. Global leopard population has decreased by >30% in the past 21 years. The main threats are due to human expansion such as persecution, habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching for the wildlife trade or trophies, and prey loss. Leopard prey has decreased by approximately 59% in Africa due to the bushmeat trade. There was a 57% increase in habitat loss across their range from 1975 to 2000. Deforestation rates are especially high in their southeast Asian range, where land is converted for palm oil plantations. Habitat loss caused an estimated ~61% range reduction between 2007 and 2023 (Stein et al., 2023).

Poaching is especially a threat in east and southeast Asia, where leopard parts may be used in traditional medicine. In Africa, leopard skins are used in cultural ceremonies. In 2018, 90 Leopard poaching events were reported in Asia. Most poaching is unreported. There has been an average of 3.5 seizures per month in India since 2000. In Africa, It is suggested that 4,500 to 7,000 leopards are harvested annually for their skins by the Nazareth Baptist Church.

Leopards are primarily nocturnal with peaks during dawn and dusk, but they may be diurnal in parts of the range. They are solitary besides mating and females with cubs (Stein & Hayssen, 2013). Home ranges vary based on resource availability and habitat, ranging from 8.8 km² in Thailand to 2,182 km² in Africa.

Leopards prefer medium-sized (10–40 kg) ungulates as prey wherever available. They are generalist predators, however, feeding on insects, reptiles, birds, and small mammals to large ungulates. In some areas, livestock is also part of the diet. Individual leopards may have a favorite prey item. Known prey across their range includes impala (Aepyceros melampus), springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), duikers of various species (Cephalophus sp.), chital deer (Axis axis), rodents like bamboo and groove-toothed rats, muntjacs (Muntiacus sp.), sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), and primates like langurs (Cercopithecus and Semnopithecus sp.). Cattle (Bos taurus) and dogs are known prey. In arid areas leopards typically take small prey such as hyraxes (Procavia sp.) or rodents (Stein & Hayssen, 2013).

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While there is no set breeding season, peaks vary by location with births sometimes affected by the season. Estrus lasts 5 to 13 days during which mating occurs multiple times per hour. Gestation varies from 88–112 days, with lactation being 114–130. Litters vary from 1–6 cubs, averaging two. Independence is typically reached at 13 months old. Females first breed around 2 to 2.5 years of age, while males can produce young at 1.5 (Stein & Hayssen, 2013).

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Subspecies of Panthera pardus have not been subject to full comprehensive survey. Wozencraft (2005) recognized eight based on morphological studies by Miththapala et al. (1996): Panthera pardus pardus (Linnaeus, 1758), P. p. delacouri (Pocock, 1930), P. p. fusca (Meyer, 1794), P. p. japonensis (Gray, 1862), P. p. kotiya (Deraniyagala, 1949), P. p. melas (Cuvier, 1809), P. p. nimr (Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1833), and P. p. orientalis (Schlegel, 1857). Miththapala et al. (1996) also recognized Panthera pardus saxicolor (Pocock, 1927), but Wozencraft did not. Based on more recent and clear molecular and morphological studies Kitchener et al. (2017) determined Panthera pardus tulliana to replace P. p. saxicolor (Pocock, 1927) and P. p. orientalis to include P. p. japonensis. The following subspecies were recognized: