Parker, Daniel M.Nams, Vilis O.Balme, Guy A.Begg, ColleenBegg, KeithBidner, LauraBockmuehl, DirkCozzi, GabrieleDu Preez, ByronFattebert, JulienGolabek, KrystynaGrant, TanithHayward, Matt W.Houser, Ann-MarieHunter, Luke T.B.Isbell, Lynne A.Jenny, DavidLoveridge, Andrew J.Macdonald, David W.Mann, Gareth K.H.Maputla, NakediMarker, LaurieMartins, Quinton E.Maruping-Mzileni, NkabengMelzheimer, JoergMenges, VeraNyoni, PhumuzileO'Brien, JohnOwen, CaileyParker, TimPitman, RossPower, R. JohnSlotow, RobStein, AndrewSteyn, VilliersStratford, KenSwanepoel, Lourens H.Vanak, AbiVan Vuuren, RudiWachter, BettinaWeise, Florian JohannesWilmers, Chris C.2024-07-182023-12Parker, D.M., Nams, V.O., Balme, G.A. et al., The implications of large home range size in a solitary felid, the Leopard (Panthera pardus), Journal of Mammalogy, Volume 104, Issue 6, December 2023, Pages 1353–1363, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad074.0022-2372 (print)1545-1542 (online)10.1093/jmammal/gyad074http://hdl.handle.net/2263/97100DATA AVAILABILITY : All raw data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.SUPPLEMENTARY DATA SD1.—Two additional figures and a detailed appendix of site locations are provided.The size of the home range of a mammal is affected by numerous factors. However, in the normally solitary, but polygynous, Leopard (Panthera pardus), home range size and maintenance is complicated by their transitory social grouping behavior, which is dependent on life history stage and/or reproductive status. In addition, the necessity to avoid competition with conspecifics and other large predators (including humans) also impacts upon home range size. We used movement data from 31 sites across Africa, comprising 147 individuals (67 males and 80 females) to estimate the home range sizes of leopards. We found that leopards with larger home ranges, and in areas with more vegetation, spent longer being active and generally traveled faster, and in straighter lines, than leopards with smaller home ranges. We suggest that a combination of bottom-up (i.e., preferred prey availability), top-down (i.e., competition with conspecifics), and reproductive (i.e., access to mates) factors likely drive the variability in Leopard home range sizes across Africa. However, the maintenance of a large home range is energetically expensive for leopards, likely resulting in a complex evolutionary trade-off between the satisfaction of basic requirements and preventing potentially dangerous encounters with conspecifics, other predators, and people.en© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Mammalogists. This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Mammalogy following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version: Journal of Mammalogy, vol. 104, no. 6, December 2023, pp. 1353–1363, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyad074. is available online at : https://academic.oup.com/jmammal.AfricaBottom-upCompetitionLeopard (Panthera pardus)Panthera pardusTop-downSDG-15: Life on landPostprint Article