Wildlife Adult Population of Amur Leopards in Russia Rises to 91 - National Park

VLADIVOSTOK (Russia) (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th April, 2019) The number of adult Amur leopards, one of the rarest wild cats in the world, in Russia's Far East has increased to 91, Deputy Director of the Land of the Leopard National Park Elena Shevtsova told reporters on Wednesday.

In 2017, scientists registered 86 adult Amur leopards and 21 cubs in the wild in Russia's Primorsky Territory.

"In 2018, 91 adult [Amur] leopards and 22 cubs were registered in the Land of the Leopard National Park. Another good piece of news is that the number of female [Amur leopards] has significantly increased," Shevtsova said.

She said that the figures were based on the analysis of data gathered via camera trap surveys.

"The new data confirms the previously identified trend of steady growth of the population with a high percentage of cubs, which is a very positive fact. It is also very good that the ratio of male to female leopards has changed within recent years. While the studies conducted from early 2000s until the opening of the national park [in 2012] indicated the one-to-one ratio, now the number of female leopards is almost twice the number of males.

This is a guarantee of the future well-being of the population," Shevtsova stressed.

She added that the global wild Amur leopards population number would become clear after the national park had exchanged data with Chinese colleagues.

According to the national park's director Viktor Barduk, the Russian-Chinese exchange of relevant data would take place in fall.

He noted that Amur leopards, native to Russia's Primorye region and a neighboring area of northern China, may also live in North Korea as cameras recorded some leopards near the Russian border with this Asian country.

Amur leopard is one of the rarest and most endangered wild cats in the world. The number of these animals in the wild sank to 19-26 in mid 2000s, which put the species on the edge of extinction.

As part of the efforts aimed at preventing Amur leopards from extinction in the wild, in 2012, Russia created the Land of the Leopard National Park in Primorsky Territory, which is also home to another endangered wild cat, the Siberian tiger.