Amurleopard

Amur Leopard

The Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis ) is a subspecies of leopard, which is found in the southwest of Primorye in the Russian Far East and threatened since 1996 in the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN as Endangered ( Critically Endangered ) is performed. In 2007, the population was estimated at only 14-20 adult animals and 5-6 pups.

Features

Amur leopards are distinguished from other subspecies by a thick coat which is drawn strong and uniform. Leopard from the river basin of the Amur, the mountains in northeastern China and the Korean Peninsula have pale cream-colored fur especially in winter. The rosettes on the flanks are 5 × 5 cm in size, up to 2.5 cm wide apart and consist of dense, closed rings that are darker in the middle.

Their fur is soft and is made of thick long hair. The hair on the back are 50 mm long in the summer of 20-25 mm and in winter. The winter coat varies from light yellow to yellowish- red with golden tint or rust-colored to reddish yellow. The summer coat is drawn brighter and more intense. In the figure they are quite small. Six males were 107-136 cm long with a 82-90 cm long tail and a shoulder height of 64-78 cm. They weighed from 32.2 to 48 kg. Female animals weighed 25 to 42.5 kg.

Area of ​​distribution and habitat

Amur leopards were formerly in northeastern China and the Korean peninsula, probably native to Beijing. In the middle of the 20th century their range was limited in Russia on the extreme south of the Ussuri region and extended from 44 ° N from the coast of the Japan Sea to the south to 43 ° 10'N along the coast, thence in a westerly direction to the north of the Suchan River basin, comprised the source of the Ussuri and two of the right tributaries in its upper reaches. From there, the distribution area extended to Khanka. In the 1950s, leopards are 50 km north of Vladivostok and has been observed in Kedrowaja Pad Nature Reserve. Hold mainly in the mountains, and in areas where live wild sika or where agricultural Wildhaltung is practiced. In the winter they stay in snow-free rocky southern slopes.

In the 1970s, the Russian population has been fragmented into three independent, small subpopulations. Since the turn of the millennium, the only remaining population lives in an area of about 3000 km2 along the border between China and North Korea in the southwest of Primorye.

In China and on the Korean peninsula since 2007 they are considered to be extinct. According to the last census from 1998 lived less than ten animals in Jilin Province, and possibly a few in the province of Heilongjiang.

Way of life

The area of Amur leopards is usually in a river bed and extends to the natural topographic boundaries of the area. The area of two individuals sometimes overlaps, but only slightly. Depending on gender, age and family size varies the area of an individual of 5,000-30,000 ha Neighboring individuals use for years the same wild tracks, migration routes, and even places where they can rest.

They mainly prey on deer and smaller deer.

Threats

Since many of the animals that are already related to each other, Pairings between siblings or offspring and parents are more likely to become the rule rather than the exception. This inbreeding can in extreme cases lead to abnormalities through to infertility of the offspring.

Conservation

In zoos now live about 170 Amur leopards, which go back to nine founder animals. However, the exact subspecies affiliation of the founder male is not backed up.

ALTA ( " Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance " ) is an initiative of Russian and Western conservation organizations, which has set itself the goal of protecting the stock of wild Amur leopards and Amur tigers in the long term. In return, the initiative has set a goal to achieve a stock of about 100 Amur leopards back into the Russian Far East and neighboring northeastern China. The plan is to build a second population of about 60 animals at a different site of the former distribution area.