The Amur Leopard:
An Endangered Species
By: Andrea Nemeth
© 2012, All Rights Reserved
The Amur Leopard: an endangered species
The Amur Leopard (scientific name: Panthera pardus orientalus) is a leopard subspecies
native to the Primorye region of southeastern Russia and Jilin Province of northeast China.
Beautiful and majestic, sadly, this species is critically endangered. According to All About
Wildlife, “The Amur leopard…lives only in the remote and snowy northern forests of eastern
Russian’s Primorye region. Its former range included Korea and northern China, but the Amur
leopard is now extinct in those countries. A 2007 census counted only 14-20 adult Amur
leopards and 5-6 cubs.” (www.allaboutwildlife.com). “Various efforts to assist with the
protection of this rare animal and its habitat are underway, but these appear relatively underresourced and are not necessarily given the attention needed by Russian authorities whose
responsibilities and resources may also be uncertain. In short, a sustained and systematic effort
is needed to save the Amur leopard...” (www.bigcatrescue.org). Russian and western
conservation organizations such as The Amur Leopard and Tiger Association (ALTA), are
coming together to secure a future for this endangered species. “ALTA works in close co-
operation with local, regional, and federal governmental and non-governmental organizations to
protect the region's biological wealth through conservation, sustainable development and local
community involvement. The Phoenix Fund and the Wildlife Conservation Society provide a
local framework for implementing ALTA projects, working closely with many Russian and
Chinese agencies” (Hoette, 2003.) Some Factors that are endangering the Amur Leopard species
are poaching, forest degradation, developmental projects, and inbreeding.
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, “The primary reasons for the Amur
leopard’s decline are hunting and loss of habitat. Humans are their main predators: Trophy
hunters seek to kill the leopards for their beautiful spotted fur coats, while subsistence hunters
find the cats a nuisance as they compete for sika deer and other prey. Farmers may persecute the
cats in retribution for killing livestock. Annual fires, ignited by people to turn forests into
grasslands for farming, are probably the greatest threat to leopard habitat. Since the mid-1970s,
in addition to these threats, logging, inbreeding and disease, development of natural gas pipelines
and road and railway networks, along with mineral extraction have decimated the Amur leopard
population” (www.wcs.org). “A number of plans for economic activities in south-west Primorye
were developed that posed a serious threat to the leopard’s survival. A plan to build an oil
pipeline from central Siberia through Primorye to the coast of the Sea of Japan has been shelved.
A plan for an open pit coal mine in the heart of the leopard range was not carried out following
pressure from environmentalists and the Ministry of Natural Resources. The strategic location of
south-west Primorye, close to the main population centers of Primorski Krai, the Japanese Sea
and the borders of Korea and China, makes it more attractive for economic activities including
transport, industries, tourism and development of infrastructure” (Hoette, 2003). “An acute
problem is potential inbreeding, and that the remaining population could disappear as a result of
genetic degeneration, even without direct human influence. The levels of diversity are
remarkably low, indicative of a history of inbreeding in the population for several generations.
Such levels of genetic reduction have been associated with severe reproductive and congenital
abnormalities that impede the health, survival and reproduction of some but not all genetically
diminished small populations. Cub survival has been declining from 1.9 cubs per one female in
1973 to 1.7 in 1984 and 1.0 in 1991. Besides a decline in natural replacement, there is a high
probability of mortality for all age groups as a result of certain diseases or direct human impact”
(Wildlife Conservation Society, 2001.). To deal with these issues, a number of solutions are
being proposed by ALTA and other supportive organizations.
“Conservation projects for the Amur leopard include: four anti-poaching teams with a
total of 15 members in the Amur leopard range, a special task force of local police and antipoaching teams led by the Khasan prosecutor, monitoring of the Amur leopard population
through snow track counts and camera trap counts, habitat assessment with G.I.S technique :
assessment of the role of habitat quality, land ownership, land use, protection status, settlements,
deer farms, roads and human settlements with use of monitoring data and satellite images,
development of land-use plans that take in account future needs of Amur leopards, support for
protected areas in the leopard range, compensation of livestock kills by leopards and tigers, a
comprehensive education program for school children and students in the leopard range, and
support for hunting leases and ungulate recovery program” (Hoette, 2003.). The Wildlife
Conservation Society has been working, “with local hunting associations to improve wildlife
management and promote leopard and tiger conservation in multiple-use forests” as well as,
“working with a local government partner to improve fire suppression and prevention in the
region” (www.wcs.org). Many campaigns, advertisements, and television broadcasts have been
created in an attempt to have people donate to help sustain this cause.
I believe that all proposed solutions will be productive in sustaining the Amur leopard
population. Although, campaigning, advertisements, and television broadcasts are what
ultimately educates the public on the crisis being encountered with this endangered species. If
we can get the public to care about the cause, then they will be willing to donate; and funds are
essential in carrying out the above solutions.
Many may ask, why should we save the Amur leopard? Simply, because it is our
responsibility as human beings. Our actions are what have caused this species to become
endangered and now we must right our wrongs. Yet, the proposed solutions and support from
the public and associations mean nothing without the support from the government. Laws are no
good if the government does not appoint officials to enforce them. Educating and getting the
public to care about this matter is important, but getting the government to care is critical.
Works Cited:
“Amur Leopard”. Allaboutwildlife.com. Editor. n.d. Web. 2, November 2009
“Amur Leopard”. Wcs.org. Wildlife Conservation Society. n.d. Web. 2012
Hoette, M. (2003). Amur Leopard and Tiger Conservation in a social and economic context.
Zoological Society of London, Tigris Foundation, Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA)
“Saving the Leopard in the Wild”. Bigcatrescue.org. Big Cat Rescue Corporation. n.d. Web. 2,
December 2009