Far Eastern leopard (Amur leopard). Far Eastern leopard, or Amur leopard, or Amur leopard Amur leopards number

Subject the world, theme - animals listed in the Red Book of Russia, grade 3-4.

We offer you a selection of materials for self-study messages or short story around the world in grades 3-4 on the topic "Animals of the Red Book of Russia - the Far Eastern (Amur) leopard.

LEOPARD (PANTHERA PARDUS)
Kingdom: animals (Animalia).
Type: chordates (Chordata).
Class: mammals (Mammalia).
Order: predatory (Carnivora).
Family: cats (Felidae).
Genus: panthers (Panthera).
Species: leopard (Panthera pardus).
Subspecies: Western Asian (ciscaucasicus), Far Eastern (orientalis).

Far Eastern leopard, or Amur leopard predatory mammal from the cat family, one of the subspecies of the leopard. The body length is 107-136 cm. The weight of males is up to 50 kg, females - up to 42.5 kg. Distributed in the area of ​​mountain coniferous-deciduous and oak forests of the Far East, in the border area of ​​three countries - Russia, China and North Korea.

Leopards are in serious danger. Listed in the Red Book of Russia and has the first conservation status. This means that this species is threatened with extinction from the wild, the number has decreased to a critical level, and the range has been greatly reduced.

Why is it listed in the Red Book

Even at the beginning of the last century, this panther could often be found in many areas of Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territory. The modern fauna of Russia includes two subspecies of the leopard - the Western Asian (Panthera pardus ciscaucasicus) and the Far Eastern (Panthera pardus orientalis). Both are disappearing. In the 20th century, when the process of mass economic development of the Far East and Siberia began, the area of ​​natural habitats suitable for many animals was sharply reduced. The leopard was no exception. In the last 20 years alone, the range of this animal has almost halved. According to Russian branch WWF, about 30 individuals live in Primorye today.

Two-month-old baby leopard looks like a normal kitten

habitat

The Far Eastern subspecies can only be found in the extreme southwest of Primorsky Krai, where a tiny population of this animal remains. Mountainous areas with centuries-old broad-leaved forests are a favorite habitat for the Far Eastern leopard.

In Southern Primorye, the leopard keeps to low mountains with broad-leaved forests of the Manchurian type and coniferous-broad-leaved forests there,
where there is no deep snow in winter. Leopard eating various types ungulates, hares, pheasants, sometimes attacks young white-breasted bears. Among its natural enemies, Amur tigers and gray wolves are in the first place.

The zone of life of the leopard is forested, heavily dissected mountainous areas with narrow watershed ridges and steep slopes, ridges with rocky outcrops up to altitudes of 300-500 m above sea level. High in the mountains, especially in winter, the leopard does not climb. Staying even at altitudes of 650-700 m is not quite usual. Unsystematic felling of conifers, as well as mature oak and ash, accompanied by the laying of new roads and facilitating access to the most remote and best lands, causes a steady reduction in habitats for the Amur leopard.

The list of dietary species of the Far Eastern leopard includes 25 items, but the stability and well-being of the population is determined by two species: roe deer and spotted deer. A number of species, such as badger, raccoon dog and Manchurian hare, are of minor importance in the diet of the leopard, but in years of declining populations of roe deer and sika deer, caused by snowy winters, can play a key role in its survival.

Lifestyle and biology

The leopard remains a typical cat that walks by itself. He prefers to hunt at night and always alone. The area of ​​an individual site can reach 400 km2, but if bioresources are limited, it can be much less. The leopard always hunts from ambush, often hiding in the canopy of trees, and when there is no prey nearby, it can simply rest for a while. If the ambush jump fails, the leopard does not pursue the fleeing game.

Young leopards become independent about 2.5 years after birth. In nutrition, this predator prefers ungulates. But he will not refuse foxes, wolves, various rodents and even reptiles. Leopards can also eat domestic animals, mainly dogs and sheep. AT wild nature animals live for about 10–12 years, and in captivity they can reach 21 years of age.

It is interesting

In former times, it was believed that the leopard is a hybrid of a lion and a panther, and the name of the animal comes from two words: leon - "lion" and pardos - "panther". However, it is not. After all, a leopard and a panther are representatives of the same species. But already hybrids of a leopard and other felines are a reality. By the way, the black panther and the spotted leopard are the same animal. Just a panther is a melanistic leopard that is found only in Southeast Asia.

According to the analysis of fossil remains, the first ancestor of the leopard appeared about 3.8 million years ago.

How to find out

This representative of the subfamily of big cats really has an impressive size. Depending on the habitat and some individual characteristics, the body length and weight of leopards can vary significantly. In Russia, the body length of the animal, excluding the tail, ranges from 90 to 190 cm, and the weight of males is from 60 to 80 kg.

Predators that inhabit forests are usually smaller and lighter. The language of the leopard is interesting. Its entire surface is covered with tubercles with keratinized epithelium: they perfectly help the predator to separate the meat from the bones of the prey. The tongue also serves the animal for washing.

And of course, the “fur coat” of the leopard looks just amazing! Saturated shades of yellow - from straw-gray to reddish-brown - in which thick fur is dyed, and the natural grace of the panther leave an unforgettable impression.

The number of East Siberian leopards in our country is extremely low. In the 80s. 20th century on the Far East there were only 20-25 permanently living leopards and about 20 cases of animals entering from the territory of China and Korea.

Currently, the Far Eastern leopard is on the verge of extinction. This is the rarest of the leopard subspecies: as of February 2015, 57 individuals remained in the wild in the territory. national park"Land of the Leopard" and 8 to 12 in China.

The decrease in the number of animals and the reduction in the range is associated not only with direct persecution by humans, but also with a decrease in the number of ungulates that the leopard feeds on. A negative role is played by the intensive economic development of its habitat. The East Siberian leopard is included in the IUCN-96 Red List and Appendix I of the CITES Convention.

The Far Eastern leopard is protected in the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve. Specially for the protection of the leopard in 1979, the reserve of republican significance Barsovy was created, however, there are 2 active military training grounds on its territory and intensive economic activity. In 1996, the Borisovskoye plateau, a reserve of regional significance, was organized, partly covering the peripheral part of the leopard habitat, and it plays a very relative role in the conservation of the species.

Priority steps to save the Far Eastern leopard should include the organization of effective protection of the reserve, reserves and hunting grounds located in the range of the leopard, the prohibition of the use of traps, hunting for ungulates with packs of dogs in the habitats of the leopard.

Improving the network and increasing the effectiveness of specially protected natural areas should be considered as the most reliable method of protecting the Far Eastern leopard. It is kept and breeds well in captivity, however, there are only about 10 purebred individuals of the Far Eastern subspecies, it is necessary to conduct breeding work.

According to genetic and phylogenetic data, its closest relatives are the Indochinese leopard and the northern Chinese leopard. In distant relatives, you can write down the African lion and tiger.

The first description of this animal was made in 1857 by the German naturalist Hermann Schlegel. Moreover, all the conclusions of the scientist were based only on the data of the examination of the skin taken from the animal killed in Korea.

Famous Russian travelers, naturalists Ivan Yankovsky and Nikolai Przhevalsky, mentioned the leopard in their travel notes. Several monographs of the Soviet period are devoted to the Far Eastern subspecies of leopards.

Habitat

The distribution range of the predator covers an area of ​​10 - 15 thousand km 2, extends slightly north of the 45th parallel and is actually located in the subtropical zone. However, the cold currents of the Pacific Ocean and the cold air masses of Eastern Siberia make the coastal microclimate not at all as comfortable as in Sochi or on the Crimean Peninsula.

It is distinguished by long frosty winters with temperatures up to -400 C and hot short summers with air temperatures up to + 300 C and above. Despite such sharp temperature fluctuations, the Far Eastern leopard animal is perfectly adapted to the harsh climate and to the almost African heat that periodically replaces it.

The habitual habitat of the beast is mixed forests, rocky slopes, mountain ledges and shores, indented with many caves. The animal hunts at altitudes up to 500 - 700 meters above sea level, where the population of ungulates is always stable, and, therefore, there is enough food.

Subspecies number

See this predator in natural environment habitat - real luck and good luck. Throughout history, there has not been a single evidence of a large population. Despite this, in ancient times, the animal was found throughout the Ussuri territory, was an object of fishing on the Korean Peninsula. There are documented information about hundreds of exterminated animals (an agreement dated 1637 for the supply of skins between China and Korea).

Human economic activity, poaching, illegal logging of taiga forests, forest fires led to the fact that by the end of the 20th century, these leopards were left in nature in negligible numbers.

In South Korea, the animal was last seen in 1969. Information about the life of animals in North Korea on this moment are absent, what is the population size of the Far Eastern leopard in this region is not known. Until 2000, about 40 individuals lived there. In 2015, the number of the Far Eastern leopard within the borders of Primorsky Krai did not exceed 60 individuals, in China it was only 12 animals.

Appearance

The Far Eastern leopard is a rather large wild cat, but smaller in size than a tiger, lion and jaguar.

• The slender, graceful body of a predator has an elongated shape, somewhat “flattened” from the sides, its length is 105–137 cm. The height at the withers is 60–78 cm.
• The tail is long - 80 - 90 cm.
• The limbs are powerful, not long.
• The claws are sharp, retractable, on the front paws up to five centimeters in length.
• The mass of an adult male is from 32 to 53 kg, females - does not exceed 43 kg.
• The head is rounded, relatively small in size.
• The forehead is powerful and convex.
• The nose is wide, elongated, dark in color.
• The ears are set wide, rounded, small, black at the back.
• Eyes with a round pupil, not large.
• Whiskers are elastic, up to 10 cm long, black and white.
• Fangs are sharp, long, like blades.
• The animal has a thick soft coat that fits snugly to the body. The length of the pile on the belly reaches 7 cm, on the back - 2.5 cm in summer and up to 5 cm in winter. The main color of the coat is yellow with a reddish or reddish tint, in winter it is not as bright as in summer. This is especially noticeable in photos taken at different time periods.

The description of the breed in winter is somewhat different from the description in summer. And all this is due to the changes taking place with the fur of the animal.

Spotted coloring allows the animal to merge with the environment, become invisible to the victim and enemies. The location of the markings on the coat is unique for each individual and allows them to be identified: there are two types of black markings - ring-shaped and solid.

Small uniform spots are located on the chin, forehead, near the mustache, on the cheeks, paws and the lower part of the body are covered with larger marks. Dark rings up to 5 cm in diameter are scattered on the back and sides. The tail at the top is decorated with large spots - solid and ring-shaped.

Lifestyle

The behavior of the Far Eastern leopard is not much different from the behavior of other representatives of the cat family - he loves loneliness and independence.

• The hunting grounds of the male occupy vast territories - from 238 to 509 km 2. Their boundaries do not change throughout the year, in the future they depend on the amount of food on the site, age (they can expand, decrease).
• Females occupy more modest areas - 10 - 40 km 2 for females with small kittens and up to 100 - 250 km 2 for females with offspring of one and a half year old. They have been attached to them for many years, they know every path and cave.

The living space of individuals often coincides along the boundaries, and one mountain path can be used by several predators at once. Direct encounters are rare, but if they do, they end tragically for the weaker individual. As a rule, adult and young males sort things out, sometimes there are conflicts between the male and the female, especially when she has to protect her cubs.

In the hunting grounds where the Far Eastern leopard lives, you can find visual marks - deep scratches on tree trunks, loosened soil or snow. The animal also marks its personal space with urine. Marks are located mainly in the central part of the territory, and not along its borders.

The wolf is a potential threat. A pack of wolves can attack kittens or an adult animal. With a tiger and an ordinary lynx, the beast does not have any particular contradictions. Brown and Himalayan bears can take prey from him and force him out of their own den, so the Far Eastern leopard stays away from them.

Hunting and diet

Night solo trips for prey are common for this predator. He does not like fuss and noise. For a long time it waits for the victim, imperceptibly creeps up to it. With the ease and grace of a panther, it overtakes the animal in several jumps, thrusts sharp fangs into the throat. It eats right away, tearing off pieces of meat from the victim with its teeth.

Large prey is enough for 5 - 7 days. The predator hides the leftover food in a secluded place (under trees, in small niches) or drags it to its lair. From time to time, badgers and raccoons make nightly visits to the hiding place, foxes, wild boars and even bears are not averse to profiting from other people's stocks. But most often a tasty morsel falls to crows, magpies and tits.

Everything that the Far Eastern leopard eats cannot be counted. Favorite dish- wild goats and deer, the predator hunts them in the summer. In winter, the animal switches to East Asian deer cubs and wild boars. Small rodents, raccoons, hares, hazel grouses, badgers, pheasants serve as secondary "fodder products". This leopard can also attack cubs.

Reproduction and care of offspring

Not all females are able to give offspring, moreover, for various reasons, it often dies. The mating season lasts several days, falls at the end of autumn or the beginning of January. Males are more interested in young females, for them they arrange bloody battles. Animals do not create long-term pairs. After mating, the female tries to get rid of the unwanted neighborhood with the male and, secretly from him, prepares the den for the upcoming birth.

Pregnancy lasts 3 - 3.5 months. Usually the female is born from 1 to 4 kittens. A cub of the Far Eastern leopard is born blind, weighs no more than 600 grams, and in a large litter - about 400 grams. It is covered with thick fluffy sandy fur with pronounced spotting.

Kittens open their eyes at 7 days, start crawling at two weeks, walk at a month and a half, and by two months they are already showing up from the den. Three-month-old babies make four-kilometer runs with their mother, five-month-olds can easily overcome 8 km.

Up to 5 - 6 months, the cubs feed on mother's milk. The first time they try meat at 1.5 - 2 months, by 3 months they can’t do without it at all. Next to the mother, most often, they remain until the next offspring appear, but they can live independently from a year and a half. The Far Eastern leopard reaches puberty - the male reaches the age of 2 - 3 years, the female at 2 years.

In captivity, the predator lives for more than 20 years, in natural, natural conditions - from 10 to 15 years.

Security measures

The predator is included in the International Red Book as the rarest subspecies, the habitat of which is limited. The main population is located in the territory Russian Federation, where hunting for this animal has been prohibited since 1956. If not for the intervention of the state, the Far Eastern leopard would have long been considered an extinct species.

Scientists have been facing the task of saving the genetic fund of this leopard subspecies for many years in a row. Animals in zoos in Europe, Asia and Russia participate in the European program for the conservation and breeding of the Far Eastern subspecies. Of these, only 10 individuals can be considered purebred, the rest are the result of crossing with the North Chinese subspecies.

Since 2008, a government program has been running in Russia aimed at saving the Far Eastern leopard and increasing its population. The strategy for the conservation of the animal primarily includes the creation of protected areas. One of the oldest reserves in Russia "Kedrovaya Pad", where this subspecies constantly lives, was opened almost a hundred years ago. The Leopardovy Reserve appeared on the territory of Primorsky Krai in 2008.

The biggest protected area Primorsky Krai "Land of the Leopard", which captures 60% of the predator's habitat and has been operating since 2012. The territory of the park stretches from north to south for 150 km, its western border coincides with the border of China. Protection of the Far Eastern leopard and creation favorable conditions for reproduction - the main direction of the reserve. Park staff maintain the food base of predators and conduct round-the-clock surveillance using camera traps.

Leopard watching

The Far Eastern Amur leopard is cautious and secretive. It rarely catches the eye of a person, quickly retreats, leaving no traces. Apparently, therefore, almost no one could follow him. The solution to the problem was found at the very end of the 20th century, when scientists invented the camera trap. The first photographs of the beast appeared in 2001.

The device is absolutely safe. Consists of a camera, infrared sensor, batteries. The device is installed in the area where the Far Eastern leopard lives, on both sides of the trail. In order for the animal to stop in the middle of the path, a bait with an attractive smell is laid on the ground. The sensor reacts to heat and sends a signal to the camera. The animal enters the frame from two sides at the same time. Replacing digital media and recharging the power supply is carried out once every 5-6 days.

Not so long ago, experts began to use not only photos, but also video shooting around the clock. It allows you to follow each predator separately, observe the brood, help the animal, if necessary, collect Interesting Facts and process statistical data. Video and photographic materials, in the case of the killing of a leopard, help to quickly find the culprit.

FAR EASTERN LEOPARD

The Far Eastern leopard, or the Amur leopard, the obsolete name of the Manchurian leopard (lat. Panthera pardus orientalis) is a predatory mammal from the cat family, one of the subspecies of the leopard. The body length is 107-136 cm. The weight of males is up to 50 kg, females - up to 42.5 kg. Distributed in the area of ​​mountain coniferous-deciduous and oak forests of the Far East, in the border area of ​​three countries - Russia, China and North Korea. Currently, the Far Eastern leopard is on the verge of extinction. This is the rarest of the leopard subspecies: as of February 2015, 57 individuals remained in the wild in the territory of the Leopard Land National Park and from 8 to 12 in China. In the 20th century, the species was included in the IUCN Red Book, the Red Book of Russia, in Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Annex I to the Convention on International Trade in Species wildlife and endangered flora (CITES), as well as a number of other titles of protection. Hunting for a leopard has been banned since 1956. Other wild animals, scavengers and predators, do not pose any particular danger or strong food competition for the leopard. From domestic animals, dogs are dangerous for him, which are both hunters and food competitors of the leopard. A person harms the population of the Far Eastern leopard by poaching, the destruction of animals that the leopard feeds on, and the destruction of the territories in which he lives. In addition, leopards are threatened with the negative results of inbreeding, which occurs due to the small population of the subspecies.

Story

The Far Eastern leopard is mentioned in a 1637 treaty between Korea and China, according to which the Koreans were to send 100-142 leopard skins to China annually. skins from Korea. In 1961, the modern name of the taxon, Panthera pardus orientalis, was published in the work of Ingrid Weigel (German: Ingrid Weigel). Information about the Far Eastern leopard was received in an unsystematized form until the 1960s. And only in 1972, all the information available at that time about this rare animal was summarized in a monograph by Vladimir Georgievich Geptner and Arkady Alexandrovich Sludsky. conducted by Dmitry Grigorievich Pikunov (1976), and then in 1986 by Viktor Grigorievich Korkishko. In 1992, based on the results of these fundamental works, the monograph "The Leopard of the Far East" was published, which presents the most complete available modern data on the Far Eastern leopard. In Russia, in 1993-1998, a project was carried out to study the Far Eastern leopard, in which the main attention was paid to studies of the size and structures of a leopard habitat using collars with VHF transmitters.

Description

The Far Eastern leopard has a slender and very flexible body, muscular, elongated, somewhat laterally compressed. The tail is long, making up more than half of the entire body length. The legs are relatively short but strong. The front paws are powerful and wide. The nails are light, waxy in color, compressed from the sides, strongly curved, very sharp. On the front legs, their length along the outer arc reaches 55 mm. On the hind legs the claws are smaller and are not as sharp. There is no sexual dimorphism as such, and sexual differences are expressed only in smaller body sizes and a lighter structure of the skull of females. Male sizes: body length 107-136 cm, tail length 82-90 cm, hind foot length 24-27 cm, height at the shoulders 64-78 cm. Weight of medium-sized males - 32 kg, large males - 53 kg. Probably, males can reach 60 kg. The weight of females is 25-42.5 kg. In captivity, individual individuals lived up to 21 years, in nature, life expectancy is much less - 10-15 years. The fur is soft, thick, relatively short (on the back 20-25 mm, in winter - 50 mm; on the belly 70 mm) and tightly fitting, not lush even in the cold season. In winter fur, the general color background varies from light yellow to rich yellowish-red with a golden hue or reddish-yellow. On the sides and on the outer side of the legs, the coloration is lighter. The color of the main background of the fur is paler and duller in winter than in summer. Numerous black spots are scattered over the general background, of two types: solid and in the form of ring figures - the so-called. "sockets". In the center of the latter there is a light field, more or less corresponding in color to the color of the main background of the fur. On the sides of the body, rosettes reach a size of up to 5 x 5 cm. There are no spots on the front of the muzzle, only small marks in the vibrissa area and a dark spot in the corner of the mouth. On the cheeks, on the forehead, between the eye and ear, on the top and sides of the neck there are mostly small solid black spots, slightly elongated on the upper side of the neck. The back of the ears is black. Annular spots are located on the back and sides of the body of the animal, above the shoulder blades and on the thigh. Along the ridge, they usually have an elongated shape or else form a pattern of large elongated annular and solid spots. Solid dark spots on the skin are located on all parts of the body where there are no annular spots, and are also present in greater or lesser numbers along with annular ones. The limbs and abdomen are covered with continuous spots. The spots on the outer side of the legs are large at the top, and become smaller downwards, on the hands and feet they are only small specks. The tail above, partially and below is covered with large annular or solid spots. Such spotted coloration is a special case of dissecting or disruptive coloration, which is a type of patronizing coloration of animals. Due to the presence of spots, the visual impression of the contours of the animal's body is disturbed, due to which it becomes invisible or hardly noticeable against the background. environment. The location of the spots is unique to each individual, similar to fingerprints in humans. This feature is sometimes used by researchers to identify individuals in the wild that are being monitored. The main function of this coloration is the camouflage of a predator when hunting. The head is relatively small, rounded. The forehead is convex, the facial parts of the head are moderately elongated. The ears are small, rounded and set wide apart. The eyes are small, the pupil is round. The mane or elongated hair in the upper part of the neck and on the cheeks (sideburns) is absent. Vibrissae are represented by black, white and half black half white elastic hairs up to 110 mm long. The skull as a whole is massive, relatively low, rather elongated, with not widely spaced zygomatic arches, the nasal bones are elongated, evenly tapering behind. An adult leopard, like most other cats, has 30 teeth. On the upper and lower jaws, 6 incisors, 2 canines; on the upper jaw - 3 premolars and 1 molar; on the lower jaw - 2 premolars and 1 molar each. The canines are relatively thin at the base, but at the same time long and sharp. The long and movable tongue is equipped with special tubercles on the sides, which are covered with keratinized epithelium and allow you to separate the meat from the victim's skeleton. These bumps also help with "washing".

Territorial behavior

The Far Eastern leopard is a solitary, predominantly nocturnal animal. The spatial position of habitats does not depend on the season and remains unchanged throughout the year. The size of the area of ​​the male is on average 238 km - 316 km, up to a maximum of 509 km, in females, as a rule, 4-6 times less - on average 107-128 km. The leopard uses its individual site, as well as permanent trails and shelters for brood, for many years. The size of the plot depends on: the age and sex of the leopard, the season of the year (the plot is smaller in summer than in winter), topography and the number of main food items Location on. The smallest area in lactating females, its size is not more than 10 km. In females with one-year-old kittens, the area reaches 25-40 km, and with kittens older age and young lone leopards, its size can reach 100-250 km. largest size reach areas of sexually mature males. Adult males from year to year inhabit their individual habitats. The sites of different leopards can coincide with each other along their borders, and several leopards can use one permanent mountain path at the same time. Sole ownership of a site is based on the protection of its central part, and not its borders. Juvenile males predominantly roam the habitats of resident males, hunt in their territories and are not attacked until they begin to mark the territory. In most conflict situations, leopards are limited to using threatening postures and sounds. However, direct collisions are also possible, which may end in the death of a weaker male. The habitats of females also do not overlap with each other. The territories of the territorial males completely or partially overlap with the territories of the habitats of two or three adult females. It should be noted that adult males practically do not populate the unproductive hunting areas of females, which are mainly populated by young leopards. systems. It includes visual cues, scent cues, and vocalizations. Visual marks include scuff marks on the trunks of standing and fallen trees, loosening of soil or snow, as well as a trace chain. Smell marks include excrement and urine marks on the ground. Most often, leopards use combined marks - urinary points or excrement in soil loosening. Animals mainly mark not the boundaries of their habitat along its perimeter, but the central parts of their hunting areas, using combined marks.

Hunting and food

The Far Eastern leopard is most active mainly one to two hours before sunset and in the first half of the night. In winter, in cloudy weather, it can hunt during the day. She always goes hunting alone, only females hunt together with grown-up kittens. He hunts on the ground, using, like other types of big cats, two main hunting methods: sneaking up on prey and waiting for it in ambush. Quietly sneaking up to the prey at 5-10 meters, he makes a sharp jerk and a subsequent series of jumps on the victim. Having killed large prey, single leopards live near its carcass for 5-7 days. If a person approaches the carcass, then usually the leopard does not show aggression and, after he leaves, returns to his prey. The Far Eastern leopard is a predator and consumes everything that it can get, regardless of size - from small rodents to large deer, and in in some cases, possibly bears. Regardless of the season of the year, the main share in the diet of the Far Eastern leopard is occupied by such ungulates as sika deer and Siberian roe deer. In their absence, wild boars (mainly piglets) and red deer calves play an increased role in its diet, but the latter species long time was no longer recorded in the habitat of the Amur leopard from the Russian side. Thanks to the increase in the number of wild boars in areas where the leopard lives, it is easier for him to survive winters when there are few roe deer. During snowy winters, he often uses boar trails as a route or ambush site. Usually an adult animal needs one adult ungulate for 12-15 days. Under poor hunting conditions, the interval between the production of large ungulates can reach 20-25 days. The badger and the raccoon dog, being secondary food objects, at the same time play a key role in the diet of the Amur leopard, even in the cold season. During the period of starvation, the leopard hunts hares, pheasants, hazel grouses. There were erroneous reports about the leopard hunting for moose, and there is also evidence about his hunting for young Himalayan bears. Cases of prey by the Far Eastern leopard of the Himalayan bears were described in the works of N. G. Vasiliev and V. P. Sysoev. These authors noted that Amur leopards attacked young, up to two years old, Himalayan bears. Perhaps the leopard also preys on motherless cubs, or feeds on the corpses of bears. In China, the leopard feeds on gorals (in those places where they still survived), before their extinction in Primorsky Krai, gorals were also the prey of leopards. It feeds on different animals depending on the season and the number of certain types of prey in the habitat of a particular leopard: in summer eats much more invertebrates, birds and small mammals, although roe deer are still the basis of the diet. In the autumn-winter period, roe deer account for 66.2% of the diet, and the rest is wild boar (9.1%), musk deer (7.8%), spotted deer (6.5%), Manchurian hare (3.9% ), badger (2.6%), raccoon dog (2.6%). With a lack of food, the leopard's fasting period can last up to two weeks. A large amount of plant remains in the leopard's excrement - up to 7.6% (mainly cereals) are associated with their ability to cleanse the digestive tract of predatory animals. In most cases, the leopard eats grass to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract from wool, mainly from its own, swallowed while cleaning its fur.

reproduction

Leopards breed extremely slowly: in 80% of cases, females give birth to 1-2 cubs, pregnancy can occur once every three years, and the number of females capable of breeding is small. Far Eastern leopards are polygamous. Estrus in females occurs in late autumn - early winter. During estrus, the female often urinates. Like other cats, the breeding season is accompanied by fights and a loud roar of males, although in regular time the leopard rarely speaks, being more silent than the lion and the tiger. During the mating period, males show the greatest interest in females with maturing kittens ready to move on to independent life. During the breeding season, males seek contact with females, visit places of their most likely location, more often mark trails and places frequented by leopards with visual marks and smell marks. Mating usually occurs in January, in some cases before the previous brood of the female breaks up and even in the presence of juveniles. The lair is arranged by the female, as a rule, in caves and crevices. After 90-105 days of pregnancy, cubs appear. Usually there are 1-4 cubs in one brood, while females living in the territory of the PRC usually have 3-4 cubs in a litter, and females from Primorsky Krai have 1-3 cubs. Births occur frequently, but the mortality of cubs is extremely high. Kittens are born blind, covered with thick fur with spotted coloration. Their weight is 400-600 grams. They see within nine days of birth, on average on the seventh day. On the 12-15th day, the kittens begin to crawl, at the age of 35 days they walk well, and by two months they can leave the den. The mother is in charge of raising the cubs. Kittens at the age of 2-3 months leave the den and begin to follow their mother throughout the entire habitat, making small transitions up to 4 km long. Upon reaching the age of 4-5 months, kittens become capable of longer (up to 8 km) transitions, but still need temporary shelters, which are already chosen by the female less carefully. With the increase in the age of kittens, the exactingness of the female to the selection of shelters for them decreases. For kittens younger age deep snow is a serious obstacle to movement. Up to 6 months, when moving in the snow, kittens mainly try to follow the trail of the female, and later they can move both behind the female and parallel to it. Lactation lasts for the female from 3 to 5-6 months. Kittens begin to eat meat at the age of 6-8 weeks. According to observations, from the first visit of prey with a female at the age of 2-3 months, cubs already eat meat, but at the same time, the female continues to feed them with milk. From the age of 8 months, kittens are trained by the female to search for prey. At the age of 9-10 months, kittens are able to make independent transitions. Males usually show independence before females. According to observations in the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve, young leopards at the age of 11-12 months were already able to stay without a female for long periods of time and move independently around the habitat. Kittens are with the female mainly until the age of 13-14 months. The time of litter decay after the kittens reach this age depends mainly on the time of the appearance of the next offspring in the female. By this time, young leopards usually already leave their mother, but sometimes the brood can remain with the female even after the appearance of new offspring. According to A. A. Sludsky, upon reaching 2-3 years of life, leopards reach sexual maturity, males a little later females. According to observations in zoos, puberty in females occurs in the period from 20 to 46 months, and the appearance of the first offspring in them is noted at the age of 25 to 55 months. Males mate for the first time when they reach the age of 24-35 months. According to observations in the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve, signs of sexual activity in males and females are observed at the age of 24-26 months.

Habitat of the Far Eastern leopard

The historical range of the Far Eastern leopard covered the southern regions of the Ussuri Territory, vast areas of Northeast China (Manchuria), as well as the Korean Peninsula. The existence of the leopard in this area has been reliably known since the Upper Pleistocene. The leopard is able to live in any landscape, but avoids populated or actively visited places. Its permanent habitats are large mountain formations with ledges, cliffs and outcrops, alternating with gentle and steep slopes, on which oak and cedar forests grow, and the population density of roe deer is not less than 10 animals per 1000 ha, while the territory should inhabit other ungulates. The most optimal place for its habitat in the Primorsky Territory is the middle and end of the course of the rivers that carry their waters to the Amur Bay and the course of the Razdolnaya River. This territory covers an area of ​​300-350 thousand hectares, and the height above sea level is approximately 500-700 m and it has a high and stable population ungulates. These habitats of the leopard have uneven terrain, small amounts of snow in winter and are covered with coniferous-broad-leaved forests in which Korean cedar and black fir grow. In the 20th century, leopards were distributed in the southeastern part of Russia, in northeastern China and on the Korean Peninsula . As a result of human development of the territory of the range of leopards within the former USSR, it was divided into three areas isolated from each other and, accordingly, three populations, which was proved by a count made in 1972-1973. At the moment, the Far Eastern leopard lives only in mountainous wooded areas with an area approximately 10-15 thousand km ?, located between Russia, China and North Korea.

Far Eastern leopard in Russia

Literary historical data on the distribution of the subspecies in the Russian Far East are very scarce and fragmentary. Researchers of the Amur-Ussuri region in the middle of the 19th century noted the habitation of the Amur leopard in various regions of the region: the valley of the Ussuri River and areas more southerly in relation to its basin. There are also indications of encounters with a leopard in the vicinity of Lake Khanka and throughout the Ussuri region as a whole. Leopold Ivanovich Schrenk in his works expressed the opinion that the Amur leopard is found along the entire course of the Amur up to the coasts of the Sea of ​​Japan and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and even on Sakhalin. Naturalist, researcher of Siberia and the Far East Richard Karlovich Maak pointed to the habitat of this predator in the Amur basin in the area between the mouths of the Sungari and Gorin rivers. There were indications of rare encounters with a leopard in the southeastern Transbaikalia in the area of ​​the Nerchinsk plant. The researcher of the Far East, Vladimir Klavdievich Arseniev, drew the northern border of the range in the Ussuri Territory until the early 1900s from Lake Khanka south to Ussuriysk, and then northeast to Anuchino, to the Przhevalsky Ridge and further north along the eastern slopes of the Sikhote-Alin along sea ​​coast to Olga Bay. On the territory of Russia, a single range of the Far Eastern leopard, probably, could only exist in the very distant past. By the middle of the 19th century, the division of the leopard's habitat into three isolated areas began: the territory of the modern Khankai and Border regions, the southern part of Sikhote-Alin, as well as the territory in the south-west of Primorsky Krai - in the Nadezhdinsky and Khasan regions. A survey conducted in 1983-1984 showed that only one population of Far Eastern leopards, living in the east of the Khasansky district, survived in Russia. As the population increased and the development of the Far East, the territories suitable for the habitation of the Far Eastern leopard decreased, and the gap between the three areas named above increased. Pikunov D. G. and Korkishko V. G. (region of the Komissarovka River) and Sikhote-Alin (southern part of Sikhote-Alin) habitats of the Far Eastern leopard. The northwestern section has lost its significance since the mid-1970s, as the factor of anthropogenic interference increased and the migration routes of ungulates changed against the background of a general decrease in their numbers. An analysis of the tracks of large cats in the late 1980s in the Sikhote-Alin site showed that the vast majority of them belong to a tiger or lynx, the only trace of the Far Eastern leopard found did not allow us to reliably confirm its presence in this area. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Far Eastern leopard lived on the territory of the State nature reserve"Ussuriysky", where he was normal view both on the territory of the reserve itself and in the areas adjacent to it. However, in the 1930s and 1940s, in the Ussuriysky Reserve, as in other reserves, the destruction of all predatory animals, including the leopard, was routinely carried out. year) and a stuffed animal killed in 1952 (caught near the village of Nizhnyaya Vereya on the Argun River and stored in the Chita Museum of Local Lore), which served as the basis for the inclusion of a rare animal in the Red Book of the Trans-Baikal Territory.

Far Eastern leopard in China

According to estimates made in the 1970s, the population size of the Far Eastern leopard in China has decreased by 70%. As a result of the 1983-1984 count, it turned out that one of the possibly two surviving leopard populations is located in remote mountainous areas in the Chinese provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang, on a small section of the border between Russia and China. In 2007, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) concluded that Amur leopards were extinct in China. Then, in 2012, documented evidence of the existence of Far Eastern leopards in the region of China bordering Russia appeared. In China, with the support of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Science Foundation, photo monitoring has been carried out since 2012. Camera traps installed in the reserve on the territory of Hunchun County confirmed the fact that from 8 to 11 individuals live here. Comparison of photographs of leopards revealed many coincidences with individuals registered in Russia, which indicates the active movement of animals across the border. As of 2016, during the joint Russian-Chinese monitoring of the Amur leopard population in China, 40 individuals were identified, however, 30 of them are migratory between Russia and China and are regularly recorded by camera traps in the territory of the Russian Federation. Thus, the permanent population of individuals of the subspecies in China, which have never been recorded in Primorye, is 10 leopards.

Far Eastern leopard in Korea

The last time leopards were seen in South Korea in 1969 in the mountainous region of Gyeongsangnam-do province in the southeast of the country. According to unconfirmed reports, single individuals can live in the area around the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. There is no reliable information about the current habitat of the Far Eastern leopard in the territory of the DPRK. However, its presence in the northern regions of the country near the border with Russia and China is not ruled out. According to some sources, in the second half of the 20th century, about 40 individuals lived in North Korea on a reservation near Paektusan. However, special studies conducted in the late 1990s could not prove the presence of Far Eastern leopards in the territory of the three northern provinces of the DPRK.

The Amur leopard has never been numerous in the history of its observation. In Transbaikalia and the Amur region, he did not live permanently, but only entered from the adjacent territories of Northeast China. In the Ussuri Territory, its numbers have also never been high. Literature data on the abundance of the Far Eastern subspecies in the past characterize it as a common but small predator for the south of the Far East. In 1870, Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky pointed out that the leopard is found throughout the territory of the Ussuri Territory, but in smaller numbers than Amur tiger.Data on the abundance of the subspecies in the Soviet period are scarce and indicate the rarity of this predator in the Primorsky Territory. In 1972-1973, 38-49 Far Eastern leopards lived in the Primorsky Territory, of which some were regular newcomers from the DPRK, and only 25-30 individuals lived permanently in Primorye. In 1976, there were about 30-36 leopards in Primorye, of which only 12-15 lived there permanently. In 1983-1984, a count was made, according to its results, it became known about the disappearance of leopards in western Primorye and southern Sikhote-Alin. In the south-west of Primorye at that time the number of leopards remained the same and amounted to 25-30 individuals, 10 of them lived on the border with China. Three subsequent counts confirmed that the number of leopards in the area is stable: 33-36 leopards in 1990-91, 20-24 leopards in the surveyed area and 29-31 leopards in total in February 1997, in February of the following year 40 leopards were counted, although this estimate is considered too high. According to a study conducted in 2000-2008, the population remained stable, although at a very low level. Genetic analysis made it possible to individually identify 18 males and 19 females. In February 2013, tracking by footprints made it possible to identify 49 Far Eastern leopards in the southwestern Primorye. Of these, 70% (34 leopards) were inhabitants of the Leopard Land National Park. In 2015, according to the results of the winter count of the number of leopards in the territory of the National Park "Land of the Leopard", at least 57 individuals were identified. At the same time, according to Yuri Darman, taking into account the leopards living in China, at least 70 individuals live in the wild in the world. According to representatives of the national park, at least 120 individuals are needed to create a relatively stable population of leopards. According to data for 2014, updated in August 2015, there were 80 individuals, 70 of them in Russia, most of which (57 individuals) live on the territory of the National Park "Land of the Leopard". Of the females on the territory of the Kedrovaya Pad Reserve, one sexually mature female constantly lived, the range of another female went beyond the boundaries of the reserve, and one male regularly visited the territory.

Today, captive Far Eastern leopards can be a valuable reserve for preserving the genetic fund and taking part in breeding programs and reintroducing individuals into the wild. Most individuals are in zoos in Europe, North America and Russia. The Far Eastern leopard is extremely difficult to breed in captivity: mating requires animals from different zoos, and individuals often do not like each other. Far Eastern leopards have been bred in the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve, as well as in the Moscow and Novosibirsk zoos. All leopards bred in captivity are descended from 10 individuals. At the same time, one of these leopards (the most productive, or “founder No. 2”) may not be from the Far East. The data obtained as a result of molecular DNA research and morphological analysis suggest that founder No. 2 belongs not to the Far Eastern, but to the North Chinese subspecies (P.p.japonensis). Therefore, individuals with no more than 10-20% of the genes of the “North Chinese” founder can participate in breeding the population of the Far Eastern leopard. There are 10 purebred leopards, the origin of which is beyond doubt, 6 of them belong to the Moscow Zoo. A study by Olga Ufyrkina, an employee of the Biological and Soil Institute of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, carried out by her using molecular methods, established the purebredness of 100 Far Eastern leopards. EEP). By the end of 2010, 68 males and 46 females were kept in 48 zoos (a total of 114 individuals). Attempts to artificial insemination of leopards did not bring results.

Causes and threats of extinction

Due to its small population, the Far Eastern leopard has never been the main hunting object, and in the past it was caught mainly by chance, while hunting ungulates. In 1911-1914, 1-2 leopards were killed annually in the Amur-Ussuri Territory, in some years the number of individuals shot only in Primorye reached 11. Due to their small number, they were hunted on occasion, and far from all skins were sent to blanks dead leopards. For example, from 1934 to 1965, 39 skins were sent to the procurement centers of the Primorsky Territory, and the number of those killed during the same period was much higher. From 1953 to 1972, despite the ban on hunting leopards, 58 individuals were destroyed. During the period from 1956 to 1976, more than 80 leopards were caught and shot. It is poaching that is one of the main problems of its conservation. The reasons for poaching of leopards are the demand for animal skins, which are then sold at a price of 500-1000 dollars apiece, and the extraction of some parts of the body of leopards, which are used in oriental medicine. In Primorsky Krai, residents of neighboring states (mainly China) purposefully organize illegal buying up rare biological resources, which include the skins and bones of Far Eastern leopards. Also, unemployment and poverty of the inhabitants of Primorsky Krai became the reason for poaching. In addition, traps and nooses placed on other animals also pose a threat to leopards. Often, leopards are killed by deer park owners, as leopards cause damage to the deer population. There are several known cases of leopard deaths from poachers. In 2009, a pregnant female leopard was killed in the Nezhin hunting ground. The dead leopard was found thanks to the crows surrounding the corpse of the female. The examination showed that the female was killed by a firearm, after which the damaged parts of the body were cut off in an attempt to hide traces of a gunshot wound. Even before this incident in 2004, another female leopard was killed on the territory of the Nezhinsky hunting ground. WWF believes that one of the reasons for the death of leopards is the negligence of the administration of the farm, which resulted in an influx of hunters during the next hunting season, as well as non-compliance with the recommendations of leopard conservation specialists.

A predator that belongs to the cat family. The Far Eastern leopard is a large animal, the body length of the male can be 136 cm (females are slightly smaller). Weight ranges from 50 kg to 60 kg. Distributed in the mountain taiga forests of the Far East, on the border of three countries - China, Russia and North Korea. In our time, the Far Eastern (Amur) leopard is on the verge of extinction. This is the rarest of the subspecies: according to some sources, no more than 40 individuals have survived in nature.

Red Book: Amur leopard

The predator has thick long fur. Especially noticeable in winter attire. This beautiful cat is one of the most beautiful and very rare cats in the world. FROM recently this animal was added to the Red Book of Russia. The Far Eastern leopard has received the status of an endangered species. This circumstance is of great concern to environmentalists and animal advocates. Today, efforts are being made to preserve the subspecies and increase its numbers.

The Far Eastern leopard, whose photo adorns many publications telling about predators in Russia, is listed in the IUCN Red Book, as well as in the Appendix of the International Convention CITES.

Despite the efforts made, today experts consider the situation with these magnificent beauties to be catastrophic. And there is every reason for this. In the last two decades alone, the habitat of the leopard in our country has halved, and its numbers have decreased tenfold. Today in Russia there are no more than 30 individuals. In China, according to the latest data, no more than 10 animals. There is no information about the presence of these animals in Korea.

Predisposition to change the range and abundance of this beautiful animal recent years looks menacing. The last, once reliable refuge of the Far Eastern leopard in our country, the south of Primorsky Krai, is not protected either. Deforestation is not declining, but gaining momentum, vegetation is systematically burned out, new roads are being reconstructed and laid, individuals that cause damage to deer herds are destroyed, there are frequent cases when the Far Eastern leopard falls into traps intended for other animals.

Cases of poaching have become more frequent, which is stimulated by the fashion for luxurious skins of these animals.

External signs of a leopard

Many special editions place its description on their pages. The Far Eastern leopard is an unusually graceful and slender cat with a thick and fluffy fur coat. it rarest species felines on earth.

His body is slender, with incredible flexibility. The head is rounded, the correct form.

The predator sheds twice a year. His summer outfit is distinguished by shorter hair (2.5 cm), the winter coat is rather dull, long, with a thick undercoat (from 5 to 7 cm).

Paws are strong and slender, with strong retractable claws.

Color

The coat varies with the season. In winter, the Far Eastern (Amur) leopard is dressed in a rusty, red with golden or light yellow fur coat. In summer, it acquires more saturated tones. Clearly defined rings or black spots are scattered over the skin. The eyes are blue-green or gray-blue.

Habitat

When people think of leopards, most of them think of the African savannas. Despite this, there is a rare subspecies of these animals that lives in the forests of the Far East and northern China. That is why he was called the Far Eastern leopard, often called the Amur leopard. As already mentioned, the population is in critical condition, but there is still hope for the restoration of this subspecies. Consider the fact that its equally magnificent cousin, the Amur tiger, has increased its population in less than 60 years. But once tigers also numbered less than 40 individuals.

Experts believe that the Far Eastern leopard, whose photo you see in the article, can be saved if conservation projects are implemented.

This beautiful predator lives in temperate forests with a wide temperature spectrum. Today, the leopard lives on an area of ​​​​about 5000 square meters. km. A viable population of this subspecies in the wild has been preserved in Primorsky Krai (RF), between China and Vladivostok.

Main Threats

According to scientists who are concerned about the life of the Far Eastern leopard, for 13 years (1970 - 1983) this predator has lost more than 80% of its habitat.

Fortunately, today there are forested areas that are suitable for the life of a leopard. These territories should be protected from harmful human influence.

Lack of loot

On the land of China there are vast areas that would be quite suitable for these animals. However, the level of the food base of these territories is insufficient to maintain the population at the proper level. It is possible to increase the amount of prey, but for this it is necessary to regulate the use of forests by humans and take urgent and effective measures to protect ungulates from poachers. In order for the population of the Far Eastern leopard to recover, it needs to replenish its former habitat.

Poaching

The leopard of the Far East, like no other predator, is subject to illegal hunting because of its beautiful and expensive fur. An experiment was conducted by an undercover investigation team: they recreated the skin of a female and male of this animal, and then sold them for $5,000 and $10,000, respectively. The “deal” took place in the village of Barabash, not far from the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve.

This experiment showed that even today there are illegal markets for such products located in animal habitats. In these areas, poaching becomes a much more serious problem than in areas remote from people.

Conflict with a person

Amur leopards are very vulnerable, as deer become part of their diet. In the Far East, man has made his "contribution" to the reduction of the deer population. This is due to the special value of the horns of these animals in Asian medicine. In turn, this does not allow the leopard to get enough food. In this regard, animals often wander into reindeer farms in search of food. It is only natural that farm owners protect their investments and kill predators.

Inbreeding

This magnificent predator is also under threat because its population in the wild is extremely small. This makes it vulnerable to various disasters - forest fires, disease, changes in the death-to-fertility ratio, sex ratios (for example, cubs that were born within the last few years may be males). In addition, inbreeding depression is an important factor. Registered family ties, and this fact does not exclude possible genetic problems, including a decrease in the birth rate. Such matings are quite common in nature in some populations of big cats, but they by no means allow outbreeding in very small populations, which undoubtedly include the Amur leopard.

Food

The basis of the diet of this predator are wild artiodactyls - roe deer and sika deer. When food is scarce, the leopard feeds on badgers, Manchurian hares, wild boars, red foxes, etc.

The leopard is able to endure hunger for up to twenty days.

Lifestyle

The Far Eastern leopard is a crepuscular animal. He goes hunting in the evening or at night. Rarely, but if very hungry, may pursue prey during the daytime.

It most often attacks its prey from an ambush. The predator approaches it very carefully, trying to use the local terrain to get closer. The leopard goes to the watering hole only when dusk sets in in the forest.

The beast has very sharp eyesight. He can see his prey at a great distance (up to 1.5 km). But with hearing and smell, the situation is somewhat worse.

The Far Eastern leopard is excellent at climbing trees. Even large prey is easily dragged onto the branches.

At short distances, it develops a very decent speed (55 km / h). This cat does not like to swim.

Often uses roads and paths made by man. He is not afraid of him, does not attack, but simply tries to get away unnoticed. He cannot stand the constant presence of a person - he leaves such places forever.

Lives in the same area for many years, walks along the same paths and uses the same brood dens.

social structure

Leopards prefer solitude, but can live in pairs and families.

On the domain of the male there are several sites of females, which reach an area of ​​60-100 sq. km. On this territory she lives with her offspring. Leopards regularly bypass their possessions, put their characteristic marks on trees on their borders. Often on the ground you can see the so-called scrapes.

Puberty and pregnancy

The animal reaches full maturity by 3 years. Males mature somewhat later than females. The female bears her cubs from 90 to 105 days.

reproduction

Far Eastern leopards are polygamous. One male takes care of several females. Cubs appear at the female only once in two years. The predator builds a lair in caves, crevices, under the roots of fallen trees in secluded wilderness areas. The male is the father coming. He visits the female and kittens from time to time. Sometimes he helps to hunt.

Leopards breed throughout the year, but the peak is in January.

Offspring

Usually 1-3 blind adorable spotted kittens are born. They weigh an average of 600 g, body length is 15-17 cm. Small predators open their eyes on the 7-9th day. When the cubs are a little over a month old, they first leave the lair. At two months, the mother begins to feed them with meat. At three months, the children's fur pattern changes to an adult (specks turn into rosettes). Offspring live with their mother for up to two years.

Human danger

Of all the representatives of this group, the Far Eastern leopard is the most peaceful. It does not attack a person - not a single case has been recorded in the last 50 years. Very rarely attacks pets.

From this it follows that this predator is not a threat to humans.

"Far Eastern leopard. Fight for the throne"

In December 2014, this amazing documentary created by Russian filmmakers came out on the screens of our country.

Every person on our planet should see this film. The Far Eastern leopard is shown in it in a way that no one has ever seen before. Cautious and elusive animals appear out of nowhere and rapidly disappear into nowhere, as if dissolving into the expanses of the wild and beautiful Far Eastern taiga.

For a long time ( more than a year) the film crew collected unique material in order to shoot the very shots that no one else could do. This is a desperate struggle for survival, raising cubs, eating and hunting, details of complex relationships in one family of leopards and their competition with other animals.

The main character of the film was the most beautiful, graceful female Kedrovka. Neighbors in the taiga forest began to constantly steal her prey, and predators seek to kill her kittens. A desperate mother is forced to leave the lair near the Kedrovaya River and lead her babies deep into the Ussuri taiga.

With the onset of winter, not far from the lair, which Kedrovka was forced to leave, a deer carcass suddenly appeared. Who got it? Kedrovka herself, one of her surviving and grown-up kittens, or maybe a new beast has appeared in these wild taiga regions, claiming the "taiga throne"?

In order to answer these numerous questions and at the same time shoot amazing shots from the life of the most mysterious predatory cats on earth, the My Planet studio team turned the territory of the Leopard Land park into an unusually large film set. The documentaries used the most advanced, truly unique, state-of-the-art technology and hidden cameras. It is especially important that the film crew complied with the most important condition - keeping the predators calm, nothing should have frightened them and forced them to leave their habitual habitats.

Today we introduced you to the most beautiful and rarest predatory cat on Earth. I really want to believe that the Far Eastern leopard will survive, so that it does not happen that in a few years we will remember him in the past tense. The next generations should see them, they should know about this amazing animal, which man so ruthlessly exterminated.

Conservation status: Species on the verge of extinction
Listed in the Red Book of Russia and the Red Book
International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Usually people think of leopards as savannahs. Despite this, in the northernmost part of its range, a rare subspecies of leopards lives in the Russian Far East and northern China. Therefore, the subspecies is called the Far Eastern leopard, but it is also known as the Amur leopard or Amur leopard. (Panthera pardus orientalis).

The Amur leopard is listed in the Red Book international union conservation (IUCN) and is classified as a critically endangered subspecies. Due to extensive habitat loss and conflicts with humans, the Amur leopard population is in critical condition. However, the fact that its more famous cousin - - increased its population from less than 40 individuals 60-70 years ago, gives hope for the preservation of the subspecies. It is believed that the Far Eastern leopard can be saved from extinction through the implementation of conservation projects.

Description

The Far Eastern leopard has a number distinctive features from other representatives. Wool in the summer period reaches a length of 2.5 cm, and in winter it grows up to 7 cm. The color of the coat in winter is light, with shades of reddish-yellow, and in summer it has brighter and more saturated tones. Unlike other subspecies, the Amur has longer legs that allow it to walk on snow. The weight of males varies between 32-48 kg, but there are also larger individuals, weighing about 60 kg. Females weigh between 25-43 kg.

Where does it live?

The Far Eastern leopard lives in temperate woodlands with a wide range of temperature regime and the amount of precipitation. Today, the habitat area of ​​the Far Eastern leopard is about 5,000 km².

How many Amur leopards are left?

The number of the last remaining viable population of the subspecies in the wild is estimated to be 20-25 individuals. The animals are located in a small area of ​​Primorsky Krai (RF), between Vladivostok and the Chinese border. In neighboring China, 7-12 individuals remain. In South Korea, the last record of a Far Eastern leopard dates back to 1969, when it was caught on the slopes of Mount Oda in Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea.

Historical distribution

The distribution of the subspecies has been reduced to a small fraction of its original historical range. Previously, the Far Eastern leopard lived throughout the northeast of Chinese "Manchuria", including the provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang, as well as throughout the Korean Peninsula.

social structure

The Far Eastern leopard prefers a nocturnal and solitary lifestyle. However, as you know, some males can stay with females after mating and even help with raising offspring. It is not uncommon for several males to chase one female and fight for the right to mate with her.

Reproduction and life cycle

Sexual maturity in the Amur leopard occurs at the age of 3 years. Life expectancy in the wild is 10-15 years, and in captivity up to 20 years. The mating season for the Amur leopard falls in the spring and early summer. The litter consists of 1-4 cubs. Weaning from mother's milk occurs at the age of three months, and the cubs gain independence at 1.5-2 years and leave their mother to continue to lead a solitary lifestyle.

diet

The basis of the diet of the Far Eastern leopard is raccoon dogs, roe deer, small wild boars, hares, spotted deer, and badgers.

Main Threats

Between 1970 and 1983, the Far Eastern leopard lost about 80% of its original habitat. The main reasons were: timber industry, fires and transformation of land for agriculture. Fortunately, all is not yet lost. To date, there are forest areas suitable for leopard habitat. These areas can be protected from harmful human influence and increase the population in the wild.

Lack of loot

In China, there are vast areas that are suitable habitat, but the level of food supply is insufficient to maintain the population at the required level. The amount of prey may increase due to the settlement of the use by the local population and the adoption of measures to protect ungulates from poachers. To survive, the Far Eastern leopard needs to repopulate its former habitat.

Poaching and illegal trade

The Amur leopard is subject to illegal hunting mainly because of its beautiful and spotted fur. In 1999, investigation team an experiment was carried out undercover: they recreated the skin of a female and male Amur leopard, and then sold it for $500 and $1,000, respectively, in the village of Barabash, not far from the Russian nature reserve Kedrovaya Pad. This experiment shows that there are illegal markets for such products near the habitats of animals. Agriculture and villages are surrounded by forests inhabited by leopards. As a result, access to forests appears, which makes poaching a more serious problem than in regions remote from people. This circumstance applies not only to leopards, but also to other animals that are destroyed by local residents for food and money.

Conflict with a person

Amur leopards are especially vulnerable because deer make up part of their diet. In the Russian Far East, the decline in deer numbers, due to the value of the antler in Asian medicine, prevents the leopard from getting enough food. Due to the decline of the deer population in the wild, leopards often wander into reindeer farms in search of food. The owners of these farms often kill leopards in order to protect the reindeer.

Inbreeding

The Far Eastern leopard is also endangered due to its extremely small population in the wild, which makes it vulnerable to various "catastrophes" such as forest fires, diseases, changes in birth and death rates, sex ratios (for example, all cubs born may be male for several years), as well as inbreeding depression. These felines have been observed to be related and it is possible that this could lead to genetic problems, including lower birth rates. Studies have shown that the average number of pups per adult female has dropped from 1.9 in 1973 to 1 in 1991.