Amur Leopard

Critically endangered. Only 30 – 40 Amur leopards remain in the wild.

1. They are a sub-species of leopard, solitary, nocturnal and distinguishable by its widely spaced rosettes with thick black borders.
2. They live in the cold vast forests of Russia and north-east China in an area less than 2500 km² , smaller than Dorset.
3. They are at risk from:-
   1. being hunted for their striking pelts and their bones (used in traditional Asian medicines)
   2. loss of prey because of hunting, fires and destroyed habitat
   3. genetic degeneration from inbreeding
4. Their habitat is under threat from:-
   1. human-induced forest fires creating unsuitable ‘savannah’ landscapes
   2. development projects