Amur leopards

The Amur (Far Eastern) leopard, Panthera Pardus Orientalis, is the rarest big cat in the world and yet is still a relatively unknown species of leopard outside of its homeland in Russia.  The approximate population stands at about 35 individuals remaining in the wild.   Until about 14 years ago very little conservation work had been carried out but in the past few  years some major initiatives have been set up to try to save these animals.

Habitat
Similar to the tiger habitat in nature but the extent of the geographical spread is very limited. These leopards now only exist in the southern most tip of the Russian Far East along the borders with China in the Khasan Region of Primorsky Krai.

Characteristics

The Amur leopard is recognizable by longer fur for winter warmth, a very 'bushy' tail and ’open’ rosettes characterize its coat.   Anyone who has seen an Amur leopard, either in the wild or in captivity, will tell you it is an incredibly beautiful animal.

Threats

Because the Amur leopard population is so small there is a great risk of extinction which could be caused by any one of the following threats:

Loss of habitat — the leopard lives in an area of Primorski Krai called Khasan which covers about 3,000 km². The forest habitat is reducing in size due to logging activities but more importantly due to the careless burning of the forest. In some areas now the forest has been reduced to a black charcoal landscape.

Poaching of leopards - Poaching of both the leopards and their prey is a serious threat.  In some years we know that up to five individuals have been lost due to the skins that are confiscated. This level of poaching is extremely dangerous for the remaining population and if it goes on at these levels the leopard will become extinct in the near future. Anti-poaching teams are working hard but we need more men and more equipment. The leopards skins are sold and their internal parts go to China for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Illegal hunting of leopard prey — the deer and other animals that leopards feed on are being depleted by illegal hunting. In addition Chinese hunters are coming across the border to poison the rivers to collect frogs and to collect other wildlife and this ultimately this has a threat on the health of the whole eco-system.

Economic Development — in the past few years the last remaining area where leopards live has been threatened with the development of a new coal mine and a new oil pipeline. Luckily the Russian Government decided in 2006 that the proposed oil pipeline would NOT go through the leopard territory which was wonderful news for all the conservationists who have worked so hard to protect these big cats.  But now in 2007 a new threat is looming - the upgrading of major roads in the area.  In the summer of 2007 it has been agreed that tunnels will be created under the new major road so that not only the leopards but other animals can cross safely.

The Unknown leopard - the Amur leopard is not famous!  This may seem a crazy reason why it is in danger but it is a really important reason because it means that neither money nor political will are being directed at vital conservation work.

 

 

Amur leopards in Zoos

Zoos around the world provide vital support to Amur leopard conservation both by raising money and awareness but also, importantly, by providing an environment to breed new offspring.  As of early 2007 there were 290 Amur leopards in captivity.  This population is extremely carefully managed and each zoo is part of a breeding programme where individuals are carefully selected with others from different zoos to maintain a diverse gene pool to keep the population healthy.  The main zoo collections are found in Europe, Russia and North America.

Further Information

For a great deal more detailed information about Amur leopards visit the sites of AMUR partners in the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA).