Far Eastern leopard

The most

In the story about the Far Eastern leopard, one has to use terms «MOST» and «ONLY» each time. This is the northernmost subspecies of leopard and the only one that has learned to live and hunt in snow. This is the most peaceful subspecies of leopard and the only one who signed a non-aggression pact with humans. But, unfortunately, this pact was one-sided. Our leopard never attacks humans, but human remains a mortal threat to it. Poaching of the leopard itself and its food (roe deer and spotted deer), deforestation, systematic burning of vegetation, reconstruction and laying of roads, catching leopards in loops and traps destined for other animals still continue. As a result, the historical range of this species is rapidly shrinking; leopards disappeared from the South Sikhote-Alin and was preserved only in the South-West of Primorye. Today the Far Eastern leopard turned out to be the MOST RARE large cat on the planet. In the wild, there are about 80 animals left!

The Leopard Reintroduction Program

In November 2013 the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia approved a new version of Strategy for the Conservation of the Far Eastern Leopard, for implementation of which leading scientists and experts with the participation of WWF developed an action plan until 2022 and a program for the reintroduction of this rare cat. These are fundamental documents that are the key to preserving this predator. At a new stage, the task is to increase the population of the Far Eastern leopard in the southwest of Primorye and neighboring territories of the PRC and DPRK to 100 individuals, as well as the reintroduction of leopards from zoos to create a second viable population based in Lazovsky Reserve. The task of WWF in this process is to provide all-round assistance, first of all, expert assistance.

What has already been done?

The World Wildlife Fund constantly allocated funds for equipping anti-poaching brigades with all necessities, provided fire fighting, organized educational work with schoolchildren. For the last 10 and more years, we painfully sought the creation of a single large, specially protected natural area that would cover the main core of the population of the rarest cat. And so, in April 2012, national park «Land of Leopard» has been created, which is 10 times bigger than «Kedrovaya Pad» reserve, on the territory which leopards were initially protected!

Now the rarest leopard has finally got a chance to survive. But in order to realize this chance, it is necessary to establish a permanent and reliable protection of this vast territory from poachers and fires, as well as effective educational work with the population. WWF renders active and hands on assistance in this direction to the new joint directorate of the «Land of Leopard» National Park and the «Kedrovaya Pad» Reserve.

What else?

Thanks to another project, that WWF is implementing in Russia and China with support of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the protection of the territory was strengthened in the southwestern Primorye – the only place in our country, the home of two rarest cats such as Amur tiger and Amur leopard. The funds are allocated to support anti-poaching activity, the work of provincial protected areas, monitoring and preventing human-wildlife conflict situations.