Leopards are the most widespread big cats in the world, with historical territory that ranges across much of Eurasia and Africa. They are powerful and adaptable, able to live everywhere from the parched deserts of the Arabian Peninsula to the teeming jungles of Java. Leopards are occasionally seen on the streets of big cities and they hunt a wider range of prey than any other big obligate carnivore.

But that doesn’t mean they haven’t suffered at the hand of man.

Read more from National Geographic here.