Habitat & Range
The Amur leopard lives in the harsh winter climate of the Russian Amur-Ussuri boreal forests. They can adapt to a variety of types of habitat including lowland forests, grasslands and mountains as long as there is sufficient food and adequate cover.
Once found from South Korea to north of the China-Russian border, Amur leopards are now nearly extinct in the wild. They are only found along a small area south of Primorski Krai in Eastern Russia, west of Vladivastok. Amur leopards live further north than any other subspecies of leopard.
Panthera pardus orientalis
Leopards are agile climbers and can leap 10 feet in the air or up a tree. They can drag a kill up to three times their own weight into a tree to avoid competition from other predators. They sometimes leave leftovers in the trees and return to feed later.
IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
Amur leopards are considered critically endangered with fewer than 40 animals remaining in the wild. Poaching for fur, loss of habitat and trophy hunting are the primary reasons for their decline. Recent efforts by Russian conservationists have improved the leopards’ chances of survival. Penalties for poaching along with captive breeding programs throughout Asia and Europe are helping to protect this rare animal with the hope that safe areas will be established for repopulation. Zoos in North America participate in a Species Survival Program to breed these rare animals in captivity in an effort to prevent extinction of the species.
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