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Amur Leopard

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Amur leopard
The Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is a leopard subspecies native to the Primorye region of southeastern Russia and Jilin Province of northeast China, and is classified as Critically Endangered since 1996 by IUCN. Only 14–20 adults and 5–6 cubs were counted in a census in 2007, with a total of 19-26 Amur leopards extant in the wild.
The Amur leopard is also known as the Far Eastern leopard, Korean leopard and Manchurian leopard.
Characteristics
Amur leopards differ from other subspecies by a thick coat of spot covered fur. They show the strongest and most consistent divergence in pattern. Leopards from the Amur River basin, the mountains of north-eastern China and the Korean peninsula have pale cream-colored coats, particularly in winter. Rosettes on the flanks are 5 × 5 cm (2.0 × 2.0 in) large and widely spaced, up to 2.5 cm (0.98 in), with thick, unbroken rings and darkened centers.
Their coat is fairly soft with long and dense hair. The length of hair on the back is 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) in summer and 50 mm (2.0 in) in winter. The winter coat varies from fairly light yellow to dense yellowish-red with a golden tinge or rusty-reddish-yellow. The summer pelage is brighter with more vivid coloration pattern. They are rather small in size and fall within the range of variation in linear measurement of the species. Measurement of six males range from 107 to 136 cm (42 to 54 in) with a tail length of 82 to 90 cm (32 to 35 in) and a shoulder height of 64 to 78 cm (25 to 31 in). In weight males range from 32.2–48 kg (71–110 lb), and females from 25–42.5 kg (55–93.7 lb).
Hermann Schlegel first described an Amur leopard in 1857 on the basis of a skin from Korea. The Amur leopard is the only leopard subspecies adapted to a cold snowy climate.

Amur leopard description

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Family Felidae
Genus Panthera
The Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is considered to be one of the most critically endangered big cats in the world, with just 35 remaining in the wild, all in the Russian Far East (3). It is one of ten living subspecies of leopard (according to the most recent genetic study) but it is especially distinctive due to a particularly pale coat compared to most other subspecies, and dark rosettes which are large and widely spaced with thick, unbroken rings (2). This beautiful leopard is well adapted to living in the harsh, cold climates of its range, with a thick coat that can grow as long as 7 cm in winter. Leopards give a distinctive rasping call, rather than a growl, as their main vocalisation.
Male weight: 32 - 48 kg Female weight: 25 – 43 kg

Leopards are highly adaptable cats, and all nine subspecies of leopard were once common throughout most of Africa and Asia. Today, however, the Amur leopard is considered the world’s rarest cat. Also known as the Far Eastern leopard, this cat’s range originally extended across northeastern China, the Korean peninsula, and the southern portion of Primorsky Krai, Russia. Now just 25 to 40 Amur leopards remain, occupying a sliver of habitat in Russia along its border with China. A few of these individuals sometimes wander into China.

Amur leopards have longer legs than other leopards, allowing them to walk in snow with greater ease. Males weigh between 110 and 120 pounds, and females between 65 and 75 pounds. Their body length extends about 5 feet. The spots, or rosettes, of Amur leopards are more widely spaced and have thicker black borders, making it a very beautiful cat. Their fur color changes from reddish yellow in summer to light yellow during winter. To help the cats stay warm, the length of their fur can also vary between one and three inches, depending on the time of year.

Female Amur leopards maintain home ranges that range in size from 15 to 38 square miles, while males can have territories as large as 155 square miles. They hunt mainly roe and sika deer, hares, badgers, mice, and other small animals.

Fast Facts
Scientific Name Panthera pardus orientalis
Amur leopards are solitary animals. Aside from mating and territorial disputes, they rarely interact with one another.
Breeding can occur year round, and the average litter size is two or three cubs.
WCS scientists radio-collared a two- to three-year-old male Amur leopard in 1994. The same cat was photographed during camera-trapping surveys in 2003, proving that leopards can live more than ten years in their natural habitat. However, other results of WCS research indicate that mortality rates in the wild may be very high.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amur_leopard http://www.arkive.org/amur-leopard/panthera-pardus-orientalis/ http://www.wcs.org/saving-wildlife/big-cats/amur-leopard.aspx

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