Study: Leopards lost 75 percent of historic range

Leopards have lost 75 percent of their historic range across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with three Asian subspecies in danger of eradication, a new study says.

A three-year review of data just published in the scientific journal PeerJ challenges the conventional assumption that the iconic and famously elusive spotted cats are thriving in the wild.

It finds leopards have almost disappeared from vast ranges in Southeast Asia and the Arabian peninsula while African leopards confront mounting challenges in the north and west.