IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Pikunov, D.G.; Abramov, V.K.; Korkishko, V.G.; Nikolaev, A.I.; Aramilev, V.V.; Fomenko, P.V. | |
| A survey of Far Eastern leopards and Amur tigers in Southwest Primorye Krai, in 2000 | |
| 2000 Full Book | |
The Far Eastern leopard is one of the rarest subspecies of felids in the world. Its habitat has already been fragmented for an extended period, connectivity with other subspecies has been lost, and the bulk of the subspecies present range has been lost. The Far Eastern leopard is presently the most endangered mammal in the Russian Far East, and immediate conservation actions are critical if this animal is to be saved for the region and the whole world. Even in captivity there are no more than 10 individuals with of pure Far Eastern leopard lineage. At present, Far Eastern leopards occur only in the southwestern parts of Primorsky Krai, where, according to the most recent surveys, numbers have been estimated at 25-31 individuals (Pikunov et al. 1999), or, according to other sources 40-44 individuals (Aramilev and Fomenko, 1999). A 1998 surveys conducted by an international team of scientists along the Sino-Russian border in Jilin Province (China) confirmed the presence of no more than 5-7 individuals there (Yang et al. 1998), while in 1999 no evidence of leopards was found in Heilongjiang Province (Sun et al. et al. 1999). These Chinese provinces border the present leopard range in the southern Russian Far East. Investigations conducted in the mountainous Paektusan region of North Korea adjacent to China also did not confirm the presence of leopards here, and the presence of leopards in the mountains of the Korean peninsula is doubtful (Kim Jin Rak et al 1998). |
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