Research overview: the fossil record of the leopard

This overview surveys the fossil history of the leopard, Panthera pardus, one of the most widely distributed living big cats. Fossils document the leopard's presence across Africa and Eurasia through the Pleistocene, including large-bodied forms and occurrences far north of its present range, and reveal a history of range expansions and contractions tied to climate. The survey reviews how leopard fossils are identified and distinguished from those of jaguars and other pantherines, what they show about past distribution and body size, and how ancient DNA has begun to clarify relationships among regional populations. It discusses the leopard's place within the Panthera radiation, its long coexistence with extinct big cats and early humans, and how its comparatively rich fossil record informs broader questions about pantherine evolution and biogeography.