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Like many other big cat species, leopards are severely threatened by commercialisation. 

Alive or dead, they are traded as commodities to satisfy the growing demand for exotic pets, or for their bones, skulls, and skins to be used in traditional medicine, luxury products, or trophies.

On International Leopard Day, 3 May, global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS is shining a spotlight on the exploitation of leopards in the global big cat trade.  

“It’s tragic to see how these majestic creatures have turned into mere commodities,” says Vanessa Amoroso, head of wild animals in trade at FOUR PAWS.

Leopards are being killed as substitutes for tigers

With the growing international demand for tigers, other big cat species like leopards are increasingly being targeted by poachers and wildlife traffickers, say FOUR PAWS. 

Purposely mislabelled as coming from “tigers”, bones, teeth and other body parts are traded in wildlife markets in Asia to become traditional medicine, luxurious accessories, trophies and more. 

Despite the pressure on their wild populations and having the strictest protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), around 12,000 leopards and their parts were traded between 2020 and 2023 worldwide, according to the CITES database. 

“Leopards across Africa, the Middle East and Asia have lost nearly 75 per cent of their natural habitats because of habitat destruction and poaching,” says Amoroso.

“While wild big cat populations are at the brink of extinction, others are bred in questionable breeding facilities for the sole purpose of being traded across the world – alive or as body parts.”

South Africa is a major actor in the global big cat trade

Despite international scrutiny, South Africa continues to play a key role in supplying and fuelling the global demand for big cats and their body parts. 

It does so by allowing this intensive captive breeding industry to flourish under their ineffective legislation, says FOUR PAWS. 

The group’sBreak the Vicious Cycle campaign documents South Africa’s leading role in the commercial exploitation and trade of big cat species.  

“The protection of big cats is not uniform across the world and varies from country to country. It even varies between big cat species,” says Amoroso. 

“Wildlife traffickers and dealers are aware of this and are always on the search for easy solutions to make money. If getting a tiger is too complicated, they will quickly move on to more accessible and less protected substitutes.”

“FOUR PAWS is urging governments across the world to align with international standards on wild animal protection, such as CITES, to end unscrupulous wildlife trafficking and exploitation for profit,” adds Amoroso. 

A big cat sanctuary for threatened leopards

FOUR PAWS also advocates for the protection of big cats at their LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. 

It was established nearly two decades ago, in 2006, to give traumatised big cats rescued from exploitation a second chance with species-appropriate care. 

Two of its first inhabitants were the leopards Mike and Tulani. After being rescued in 2006, they are now a “senior couple” at LIONSROCK. 

Tulani was born at a South African safari farm in 2002, before being bought as a cub by her previous owner to be kept as a pet. Mike was a wild leopard that was captured and kept in private captivity. 

Though leopards enjoy solitude, Tulani and Mike quickly found comfort in each other’s company. Nearly twenty years have passed, but both leopards are still spotted enjoying the African sun together.