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Of all cats the leopard has the largest distribution. Leopards were found in almost the whole of Africa and in large parts of Asia, ranging from Turkey and the Middle East to Indonesia and Russia. The Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) has the most northern distribution of the eight subspecies of leopard. It is called after the river Amur on the border between China and Russia. Its favorite prey are hares, roe deer, badgers and sika deer. In the sixties and seventies the Amur leopard was still found in considerable numbers in former Manchuria, the Korean peninsula and in Primorye and the southern part of Ussuriland. Nowadays the only viable population is left in a small area between Vladivostok and the Chinese border. In China and North Korea very few leopards remain.

The Amur leopard is well adapted to the harsh climate of the Amur-Ussuri region. The hairs of its summer pelt are 2,5 cm long but in winter they are replaced by 7 cm long ones. Apart from its long winter coat the Amur leopard is easily told apart from other leopard subspecies by its large rosettes. It also has longer legs, probably an adaptation for walking through snow. Many specialists consider it to be the most beautiful leopard. It certainly is a remarkable leopard, in some ways reminiscent of the snow leopard. The beauty of the leopard is something which can be disputed, but not its endangered status. The Russian population is estimated at 40 animals. The Amur leopard was studied in a small reserve named Kedrovaja Pad by a group of Russian and American scientists. Leopards were caught using spring traps. They were fitted with a radio collar so the scientists could locate the animals. In the US a different method is used by both by hunters and scientists for catching mountain lions. The mountain lion is tracked down by dogs and will after a chase climb into a tree where it can be immobilized. The scientists from the Hornocker Wildlife Institute wanted to try this method in Russia as well. In March 1996 a special dog was flown to Vladivostok. This dog had scared more than a hundred mountain lions up into trees. The first leopard which the dog helped catch was a young male leopard of 18 months old. Although smaller than a adult mountain lion the leopard had no intention of going up a tree. He attacked the dog which, being severly injured, died a few days later.

In theory the small strip of land west of Vladivostok where the Amur leopard is still found, is well protected. In reality however little or nothing was done for the protection of this highly endangered animal. The situation changed dramatically when an anti-poaching team was established with funds provided by Tigris Foundation. The forests where the leopards live, are surrounded by agriculture and villages. As a result the forests are relatively well accessible, making poaching a bigger problem than elsewhere. Not only the leopards themselves, but also important prey species, such as roe deer, sika deer and hare, were hunted by the villagers. As a consequence of poaching, leopards often look for other prey and regularly visit deer farms at the forest edge. At these farms sika deer are raised for their antlers, which are sold to China for use in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Leopards (and also tigers) climb the fences and find the tame deer easy prey. Because a dead deer means lost money, the farmers sometimes try to kill the leopards that visit their farms.

In addition, the forests are damaged by seasonal fires. Farmers burn their fields in autumn and winter to make them more fertile. Unfortunately the fires do not stop at the forest edge. After a severe forest fire a long period follows with shrubs and small trees that produce no edible seeds (such as nuts, pine cones and acorns). As a consequence, there is a shortage of food for ungulates, the main prey of leopards. Due to repeated burns, some areas in Khasan have turned into green meadows without any signs of forest regeneration. Such areas have become unsuitable for leopards and tigers.