#Fantasy forest story sea leopard skin#

Rosette patterns are unique in each individual. The fur tends to be grayish in colder climates, and dark golden in rainforest habitats. Rosettes are circular in East African leopard populations, and tend to be squarish in Southern African and larger in Asian leopard populations. Spots fade toward the white underbelly and the insides and lower parts of the legs. Leopards living in arid regions are pale cream, yellowish to ochraceous and rufous in colour those living in forests and mountains are much darker and deep golden. Its underbelly is white and its ringed tail is shorter than its body.

#Fantasy forest story sea leopard skin#

Its skin colour varies between individuals from pale yellowish to dark golden with dark spots grouped in rosettes. The leopard's fur is generally soft and thick, notably softer on the belly than on the back. 'Panther' is another common name, derived from Latin panther and ancient Greek πάνθηρ ( pánthēr) The generic name Panthera originates in Latin panthera, a hunting net for catching wild beasts to be used by the Romans in combats. The word λέοπάρδος originally referred to a cheetah ( Acinonyx jubatus). Leopardos could be a compound of λέων ( leōn), meaning ' lion ', and πάρδος ( pardos), meaning ' spotted '. The English name 'leopard' comes from Old French leupart or Middle French liepart, that derives from Latin leopardus and ancient Greek λέοπάρδος ( leopardos). Leopard skins have been popular in fashion. Leopards have had cultural roles in Ancient Greece, West Africa and modern Western culture. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because leopard populations are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and are declining in large parts of the global range. Both male and female leopards typically reach sexual maturity at the age 2–2.5 years. Females usually give birth to a litter of 2–4 cubs once in 15–24 months. It is a solitary animal outside the mating season and when raising cubs. It relies on its spotted pattern for camouflage as it stalks and ambushes its prey, which it sometimes drags up a tree. It is an opportunistic predator, hunting mostly ungulates and primates. It is adapted to a variety of habitats ranging from rainforest to steppe, including arid and montane areas.

They were formerly present across Europe, but became extinct in the region at the end of the Late Pleistocene, around 11,000 years ago. It initially evolved in Africa during the Early Pleistocene, before migrating into Eurasia around the Early-Middle Pleistocene transition. Today, eight subspecies are recognised in its wide range in Africa and Asia.

The leopard was first described in 1758, and several subspecies were proposed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its body is slender and muscular reaching a length of 92–183 cm (36–72 in) with a 66–102 cm (26–40 in) long tail and a shoulder height of 60–70 cm (24–28 in).

It has a pale yellowish to dark golden fur with dark spots grouped in rosettes. The leopard ( Panthera pardus) is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera. Present and historical distribution of the leopard