Far Eastern leopard, description, habitat and lifestyle, what it eats, interesting facts, photos, videos. Far Eastern leopard Amur leopard brief description for schoolchildren

According to genetic and phylogenetic data, its closest relatives are the Indochinese leopard and the North Chinese leopard. You can register as distant relatives African lion and a tiger.

The first description of this animal was made in 1857 by the German naturalist Hermann Schlegel. Moreover, all the scientist’s conclusions were based only on data from an examination of the skin taken from an animal killed in Korea.

Famous Russian travelers, naturalists Ivan Yankovsky and Nikolai Przhevalsky, mentioned the leopard in their travel notes. Several monographs from the Soviet period are devoted to the Far Eastern subspecies of leopards.

Habitat

The distribution area of the predator covers an area of 10 - 15 thousand km 2, extends just north of the 45th parallel and is actually located in subtropical zone. However, the cold currents of the Pacific Ocean and the cold air masses Eastern Siberia make the coastal microclimate not at all as comfortable as in Sochi or on the Crimean peninsula.

It is characterized by long frosty winters with temperatures up to – 400 C and hot short summer with air temperatures up to + 300 C and above. Despite such sharp temperature changes, the animal Far Eastern leopard is perfectly adapted to the harsh climate and to the almost African heat that periodically replaces it.

The animal’s usual habitat is mixed forests, rocky slopes, mountain ledges and shores indented by many caves. The animal hunts at altitudes of up to 500 - 700 meters above sea level, where the population of ungulates is always stable, and, therefore, food is available in sufficient quantities.

Number of subspecies

See this predator in natural environment habitat - real luck and fortune. Throughout history there has not been a single evidence of a large population. Despite this, in ancient times the animal was found throughout the Ussuri territory and was hunted on the Korean Peninsula. There is documented information about hundreds of exterminated animals (an agreement dated 1637 for the supply of skins between China and Korea).

Human economic activity, poaching, illegal logging taiga forests, forest fires led to the fact that by the end of the twentieth century there were negligible numbers of these leopards left in the wild.

IN South Korea animal last time seen in 1969. Information about the life of animals in North Korea on at the moment are missing, the size of the Far Eastern leopard population in this region is not known. Until 2000, about 40 individuals lived there. In 2015, the number of Far Eastern leopards within the Primorsky Territory did not exceed 60 individuals; in China there were only 12 animals.

Appearance

Far Eastern leopard- a fairly large wild cat, but smaller in size than a tiger, lion and jaguar.

The slender, graceful body of the predator has an elongated shape, somewhat “flattened” on the sides, its length is 105 – 137 cm. Height at the withers is 60 – 78 cm.
The tail is long - 80 - 90 cm.
The limbs are powerful, not long.
The claws are sharp, retractable, on the front paws up to five centimeters in length.
The weight of an adult male is from 32 to 53 kg, and that of a female does not exceed 43 kg.
The head is round in shape and relatively small in size.
The forehead is powerful and convex.
The nose is wide, elongated, dark in color.
The ears are set wide, rounded, small, and black at the back.
Eyes with round pupils, not large.
The mustache is elastic, up to 10 cm long, black and white.
The fangs are sharp, long, like blades.
The animal has thick soft fur that fits tightly to the body. The length of the pile on the belly reaches 7 cm, on the back - 2.5 cm in summer and up to 5 cm in winter. The main color of the coat is yellow with a reddish or reddish tint; in winter it is not as bright as in summer. This is especially noticeable in photographs taken in different time periods.

The description of the breed in winter is somewhat different from the description in summer period. And all this is thanks to the changes occurring in the animal’s fur.

The spotted color allows the animal to blend in with its environment and become invisible to prey and enemies. The location of the markings on the fur is unique for each individual and allows them to be identified: there are two types of black markings - ring-shaped and solid.

Small uniform spots are located on the chin, forehead, near the mustache, on the cheeks; larger marks cover the paws and lower part of the body. Dark rings up to 5 cm in diameter are scattered on the back and sides. The tail at the top is decorated with large spots - solid and ring-shaped.

Lifestyle

The behavior of the Far Eastern leopard is not much different from the behavior of other representatives of the cat family - it loves solitude and independence.

The hunting grounds of the male occupy vast territories - from 238 to 509 km 2. Their boundaries do not change throughout the year, and subsequently depend on the amount of food in the area, age (they can expand or decrease).
Females occupy more modest areas - 10 - 40 km 2 for females with small kittens and up to 100 - 250 km 2 for females with offspring one and a half years old. They have been attached to them for many years, they know every path and cave.

The living space of individuals often coincides along the boundaries and one mountain path can be used by several predators at once. Direct collisions rarely occur, but if they do, they end tragically for the weaker individual. As a rule, relationships are sorted out by adult and young males; sometimes conflicts occur between a male and a female, especially when she has to protect her cubs.

In the hunting grounds where the Far Eastern leopard lives, you can find visual marks - deep scratches on tree trunks, loosened soil or snow. The animal also marks its personal space with urine. Markers are located mainly in the central part of the territory, and not along its borders.

The wolf poses a potential threat. A pack of wolves can attack kittens or an adult animal. The animal does not have any particular contradictions with the tiger and the common lynx. Brown and Himalayan bears can take away its prey and force it out of its own den, so the Far Eastern leopard stays away from them.

Hunting and diet

Night solitary trips for prey are common for this predator. He doesn't like fuss and noise. It waits for the victim for a long time and sneaks up on it unnoticed. With ease and grace, the panther overtakes the animal in several leaps and plunges sharp fangs into the throat. It eats its meal right away, tearing pieces of meat from the victim with its teeth.

Large prey lasts for 5 – 7 days. The predator hides the uneaten remains of food in a secluded place (under trees, in small niches) or drags it into its lair. From time to time, badgers and raccoons make night visits to the cache; foxes, wild boars and even bears are not averse to profiting from other people’s reserves. But most often the tasty morsel falls to crows, magpies and tits.

You can’t count everything that the Far Eastern leopard eats. Favorite dish– wild goats and deer, the predator hunts them in the summer. IN winter time the beast switches to baby East Asian deer and wild boars. The secondary “food products” are small rodents, raccoons, hares, hazel grouse, badgers, and pheasants. This leopard can also attack bear cubs.

Reproduction and care of offspring

Not all females are able to give birth to offspring; moreover, for various reasons, they often die. The mating season lasts several days and falls in late autumn or early January. Males are more interested in young females; they organize bloody battles for them. Animals do not create long-term pairs. After mating, the female tries to get rid of the unwanted proximity to the male and, secretly from him, prepares a den for the upcoming birth.

Pregnancy lasts 3 – 3.5 months. Typically, a female gives birth to 1 to 4 kittens. A Far Eastern leopard cub is born blind, weighs no more than 600 grams, and in a large litter - about 400 grams. It is covered with thick fluffy sand-colored fur with pronounced spotting.

The kittens open their eyes at 7 days, begin to crawl at two weeks, walk at one and a half months, and by two months they are already emerging from the den. Three-month-old babies go on four-kilometer runs with their mother, while five-month-old babies can easily cover 8 km.

Until 5–6 months, the cubs feed on mother’s milk. They try meat for the first time at 1.5 - 2 months, and by 3 months they cannot do without it at all. Most often, they remain next to their mother until the next offspring appears, but they can live independently from the age of one and a half years. The Far Eastern leopard reaches sexual maturity - the male reaches the age of 2 - 3 years, the female at 2 years.

In captivity, the predator lives for more than 20 years, in natural conditions - from 10 to 15 years.

Security measures

The predator is listed in the International Red Book as a rare subspecies whose habitat is limited. The main population is located on the territory of the Russian Federation, where hunting for this animal has been prohibited since 1956. If it were not for government intervention, the Far Eastern leopard would have long been considered an extinct species.

For many years now, scientists have been faced with the task of saving the genetic fund of this subspecies of leopard. Animals in zoos in Europe, Asia and Russia participate in the European program for the conservation and breeding of the Far Eastern subspecies. Of these, only 10 individuals can be considered purebred, the rest are the result of crossing with the North Chinese subspecies.

Since 2008, a government program has been running in Russia aimed at saving the Far Eastern leopard and increasing its numbers. The strategy for preserving the animal primarily includes the creation of protected areas. One of the oldest nature reserves in Russia, Kedrovaya Pad, where this subspecies constantly lives, was opened almost a hundred years ago. The Leopard Nature Reserve appeared in the Primorsky Territory in 2008.

The biggest protected area Primorsky Krai “Land of the Leopard”, covering 60% of the predator’s habitat and has been operating since 2012. The territory of the park stretches from north to south for 150 km, its western border coincides with the border of China. Protection of the Far Eastern leopard and creation favorable conditions for reproduction is the main direction of the reserve’s work. Park staff maintain the food supply for predators and conduct round-the-clock surveillance using camera traps.

Leopard watching

The Far Eastern Amur leopard is cautious and secretive. It catches the eye of a person extremely rarely, quickly retreats, leaving no traces. Apparently, that’s why almost no one was able to track him. A solution to the problem was found at the very end of the 20th century, when scientists invented a camera trap. The first photographs of the beast appeared in 2001.

The device is absolutely safe. Consists of a camera, sensor infrared radiation, batteries. The device is installed in the area where the Far Eastern leopard lives, on both sides of the path. To make the animal stop in the middle of the path, bait with an attractive smell is placed on the ground. The sensor reacts to heat and sends a signal to the camera. The animal enters the frame from both sides simultaneously. Replacement of digital media and recharging of the power supply is carried out once every 5–6 days.

Not so long ago, specialists began to use not only photos, but also video shooting mode around the clock. It allows you to follow each predator separately, observe the brood, provide assistance to the animal, and, if necessary, collect interesting facts and process statistical data. If a leopard is killed, video and photographic materials help quickly find the culprit.

Titles: Amur leopard, Far Eastern leopard, East Siberian leopard.

Area: the original range occupied the territory of Russia (Primorsky Territory), Northeast China and the Korean Peninsula. Currently, the leopard lives only in the southwest of the Primorsky Territory (Khasansky, Nadezhdinsky, Shkotovsky, Partizansky, Olginsky, Khankaysky, Lazovsky districts).

Description: The Far Eastern leopard is a beautiful slender cat with a thick, lush fur coat. This is one of the rarest and most beautiful feline species in the world.
The body is flexible and slender with a long tail. The head is rounded.
Molting occurs twice a year. The summer coat is short (up to 2.5 cm), the winter coat is dull, long with a thick undercoat (from 5 cm on the back to 7 cm on the lower part of the body). The pupil is vertically oval. The paws are slender and strong, with strong retractable claws.

Color: winter from light yellow to rusty and red with a golden tint, summer coat is brighter. Solid, clearly defined black rings of spots or individual spots in the form of rosettes are scattered throughout the body. The eyes are gray-blue or blue-green. The claws are dark brown with white tips.

Size: 100-180 cm, tail 75-110 cm, height at withers 64-78 cm.

Weight: male 45-70 kg, female 25-50 kg.

Lifespan: in nature 10-15 years, in captivity up to 20 years.

Habitat: mountain forest areas, coniferous-deciduous forests of the Manchurian type in the middle and upper reaches of rivers, territories with rugged terrain, steep slopes of hills, rocky outcrops and watersheds. It rises into the mountains 300-500 meters above sea level. In winter, the temperature in the habitats of the Amur leopard drops to -30"C.

Enemies: the main one is human. In the habitats of the Amur tiger, it competes with it for food.

Food: the basis of the Far Eastern leopard’s diet is wild artiodactyls: sika deer and roe deer. When there is a shortage of them, it eats badgers, raccoon dogs, Manchurian hares, wild boars, musk deer, red foxes, weasels, squirrels, hedgehogs, hazel grouse, pheasants and other animals.
A leopard can endure long hunger strikes - from 15 to 20 days.

Behavior: Far Eastern leopard leads twilight image life, goes hunting at dusk or at night. Sometimes it pursues prey during the day.
Hunts by hiding prey or attacking it from ambush. When approaching the victim, it tries to use the local terrain to get as close as possible (5-10 m). Goes to watering place at dusk.
The animal's vision is very sharp; at a distance of up to 1.5 km, the leopard can see the prey. Hearing and smell are less developed.
Good at climbing trees and rocks. It easily climbs trees with large prey.
Over short distances it can reach speeds of up to 55 km/h. The Amur leopard does not like to swim.
The leopard often uses paths and roads made by humans. It is not afraid of a person, does not attack, but tries to leave unnoticed. It cannot tolerate the constant presence of humans and leaves such places forever.
For many years it lives in the same area, using the same paths and brood dens.

Social structure: Leopards live alone, in pairs and in families.
The areas of same-sex individuals do not overlap. A male's territory usually contains several areas of females. The female's territory is 60-100 km 2, on which she lives with her cubs. Animals regularly walk around their areas, marking the boundaries on trees or leaving scratches on the ground.

Reproduction: leopards are polygamous - one male can care for several females. The female gives birth to kittens once every two years. The den is made in caves, crevices, under upturned tree roots in remote, secluded places. The male periodically visits the female with her kittens and helps her hunt.

Breeding season/period: throughout the year, but the peak occurs in January-February.

Puberty: on average 2.5-3 years. Males take a little longer to mature than females.

Pregnancy: lasts 90-105 days.

Offspring: There are 1-3 blind spotted kittens in a litter. Newborn kittens weigh 400-600 g, their size is 15-17 cm. Their eyes open at 7-9 days. When the cubs are a little over a month old, they begin to leave the den. At 2 months of age, the mother begins to feed them with semi-digested meat. At three months of age children's drawing changes to adult (spots turn into rosettes). Young people stay with their mother until they are two years old.

Benefit/harm for humans: The Far Eastern leopard is the most peaceful of leopards. It does not attack humans; over the past 50 years, not a single case of unprovoked attack has been recorded. It rarely attacks livestock.
The leopard is hunted for its incredibly beautiful fur.

Population/conservation status: the species is listed in the International Red Book as a rare, critically endangered subspecies with an extremely limited range. In 2000, the area of the habitat was only 2,500 km 2. The species is also included in the Red Book of Russia, in the CITES Convention (Appendix I).
Leopard hunting has been prohibited since 1956.
Over the past 20 years, the number of the species has decreased tenfold. For 2002-2003 There are only 28-33 Far Eastern leopards left in Primorye.
The main threats to the species: poaching, habitat destruction (logging, forest fires, road construction) and habitat reduction, reduction in the ungulate population, genetic depletion of the population due to inbreeding.

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A predator that belongs to the cat family. The Far Eastern leopard is a large animal; the male's body length can be 136 cm (females are slightly smaller). Weight ranges from 50 kg to 60 kg. Distributed in the mountain taiga forests of the Far East, on the border of three countries - China, Russia and North Korea. Nowadays, the Far Eastern (Amur) leopard is on the verge of extinction. This is the rarest of the subspecies: according to some data, no more than 40 individuals have survived in nature.

Red Book: Far Eastern leopard

The predator has thick, long fur. Particularly noticeable in winter attire. This beautiful cat is one of the most beautiful and very rare cats in the world. Recently, these animals have been added to the Russian Red Book. The Far Eastern leopard has received the status of an endangered species. This circumstance greatly worries environmentalists and animal rights activists. Today, efforts are being made to preserve the subspecies and increase its numbers.

The Far Eastern leopard, whose photo adorns many publications telling about Russian predators, is listed in the IUCN Red Book, as well as in the Appendix International Convention CITES.

Despite the efforts being made, today experts consider the situation with these magnificent beauties to be catastrophic. And there is every reason for this. Over the last two decades alone, the leopard’s habitat in our country has been halved, and its numbers have decreased tenfold. Today there are no more than 30 individuals in Russia. In China, according to the latest data, there are no more than 10 animals. There is no information about the presence of these animals in Korea.

The predisposition to changes in the range and numbers of this beautiful animal in recent years looks threatening. The last, once reliable refuge of the Far Eastern leopard in our country, the south of Primorsky Krai, is also not protected. Deforestation is not decreasing, but is gaining momentum, vegetation is systematically burned, new roads are being reconstructed and laid, individuals that cause damage to deer herds are destroyed, and there are frequent cases when the Far Eastern leopard ends up in traps intended for other animals.

Cases of poaching have become more frequent, which is stimulated by the fashion for the luxurious skins of these animals.

External signs of a leopard

Many special publications publish its description on their pages. The Far Eastern leopard is an unusually graceful and slender cat with a thick and lush fur coat. This rarest species felines on Earth.

His body is slender and incredibly flexible. The head is round and regular in shape.

The predator sheds twice a year. Its summer coat is distinguished by a shorter coat (2.5 cm), while its winter coat is rather dull, long, and has a thick undercoat (5 to 7 cm).

The paws are strong and slender, with strong retractable claws.

Color

The coat changes depending on the season. In winter, the Far Eastern (Amur) leopard wears a fur coat of a rusty, red and golden or light yellow hue. In summer it acquires more saturated tones. Clearly defined rings or black spots are scattered throughout the skin. Eyes blue-green or gray-blue.

Habitat

When people think of leopards, most people think of the savannahs of Africa. Despite this, there is a rare subspecies of these animals that lives in the forests of the Far East and northern China. That is why it received the name Far Eastern leopard; it is often called Amur leopard. As already mentioned, the population is in critical condition, but there is still hope for the restoration of this subspecies. Consider the fact that its equally magnificent cousin, the Amur tiger, has increased its population in less than 60 years. But once upon a time there were also fewer than 40 tigers.

Experts believe that the Far Eastern leopard, the photo of which you see in the article, can be saved subject to the implementation of environmental projects.

This beautiful predator lives in temperate forests with a wide temperature range. Today the leopard lives in an area of about 5,000 square meters. km. A viable population of this subspecies remains in the wild in the Primorsky Territory (RF), between China and Vladivostok.

Main threats

According to scientists who are concerned about the life of the Far Eastern leopard, in 13 years (1970 - 1983) this predator lost more than 80% of its habitat.

Fortunately, today there are forest areas that are suitable for leopards to live. These areas should be protected from the harmful influence of humans.

Lack of loot

There are vast areas on Chinese soil that would be quite suitable for these animals. However, the level of food supply in these territories is insufficient to maintain the population at the proper level. It is possible to increase the amount of prey, but this requires regulating human use of forests and taking urgent and effective measures to protect ungulates from poachers. In order for the Far Eastern leopard population to recover, it needs to replenish its former habitat.

Poaching

The leopard of the Far East, like no other predator, is subject to illegal hunting because of its beautiful and expensive fur. An undercover investigative team conducted an experiment: they recreated the skin of a female and a male of this animal, and then sold them for $5,000 and $10,000, respectively. The “deal” took place in the village of Barabash, not far from the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve.

This experiment showed that even today there are illegal markets for such products located in animal habitats. In these areas, poaching becomes a much more serious problem than in areas further away from people.

Conflict with a person

Amur leopards are very vulnerable because deer form part of their diet. On Far East man made his “contribution” to the reduction in the number of deer. This is explained by the special value of the horns of these animals in Asian medicine. In turn, this does not allow the leopard to receive food in sufficient quantities. In this regard, animals often wander into reindeer herding farms in search of food. It is only natural that farm owners protect their investments and kill predators.

Inbreeding

This magnificent predator is also under threat because its population in the wild is extremely small. This makes it vulnerable to various disasters - forest fires, disease, changes in the ratio of mortality and birth rates, sex ratios (for example, cubs that were born within the last few years may turn out to be males). In addition, inbreeding depression is an important factor. Registered family ties, and this fact does not exclude possible genetic problems, including decreased fertility. Such matings are quite common in nature in some populations big cats, but they in no way allow the creation of outbreeding in very small populations, which undoubtedly includes the Far Eastern leopard.

Food

The diet of this predator is based on wild artiodactyls - roe deer and sika deer. When food is scarce, the leopard feeds on badgers, Manchurian hares, wild boars, red foxes, etc.

A leopard can withstand hunger for up to twenty days.

Lifestyle

The Far Eastern leopard is a crepuscular animal. He goes hunting in the evening or at night. Rarely, but if very hungry, it can pursue prey during the daytime.

It most often attacks its prey from an ambush. The predator approaches it very carefully, trying to use the local terrain to get closer. The leopard goes to water only when it is dusk in the forest.

The beast has very sharp vision. He can see his prey at a great distance (up to 1.5 km). But with hearing and smell the situation is somewhat worse.

The Far Eastern leopard is an excellent tree climber. Even large prey is easily dragged onto the branches.

At short distances it develops a very decent speed (55 km/h). This cat doesn't really like to swim.

Often uses roads and paths made by humans. He is not afraid of him, does not attack, but simply tries to get away unnoticed. It cannot stand the constant presence of a person - it leaves such places forever.

Lives in one area for many years, walks along the same paths and uses the same brood dens.

Social structure

Leopards prefer solitude, but can live in pairs and families.

On the male's property there are several areas of females, which reach an area of 60-100 sq. km. In this territory she lives with her offspring. Leopards regularly walk around their properties and place their characteristic marks on trees at their borders. You can often see so-called scrapes on the ground.

Puberty and pregnancy

The animal reaches full maturity by 3 years. Males mature somewhat later than females. The female carries her cubs for 90 to 105 days.

Reproduction

Far Eastern leopards are polygamous. One male courts several females. The female produces cubs only once every two years. The predator makes a lair in caves, crevices, under the roots of fallen trees in secluded, remote places. The male is the visiting father. He visits the female and kittens from time to time. Sometimes he helps with hunting.

Leopards breed all year round, but the peak occurs in January.

Offspring

Usually 1-3 blind, adorable spotted kittens are born. They weigh an average of 600 g, body length is 15-17 cm. Small predators open their eyes at 7-9 days. When the babies are a little over a month old, they leave the den for the first time. At two months, mother begins to feed them meat. At three months, the baby's fur pattern changes to an adult's (the spots turn into rosettes). The offspring live with their mother for up to two years.

Danger to humans

Of all the representatives of this group, the Far Eastern leopard is the most peaceful. It does not attack humans - not a single case has been recorded over the past 50 years. Very rarely attacks domestic animals.

It follows from this that this predator is not a threat to humans.

"The Far Eastern leopard. The struggle for the throne"

In December 2014, this amazing documentary created by Russian filmmakers was released on the screens of our country.

Every person on our planet should see this film. The Far Eastern leopard is shown in it as no one has ever seen it before. Cautious and elusive animals appear out of nowhere and quickly disappear into nowhere, as if dissolving in the vastness of the wild and beautiful Far Eastern taiga.

For a long time ( more than a year) the film crew collected unique material, to take those very shots that no one has been able to take yet. This is a desperate struggle for survival, raising cubs, eating and hunting, details of the complex relationships in one family of leopards and their competition with other animals.

The main character of the film was the most beautiful, graceful female Kedrovka. Neighbors in the taiga forest began to constantly steal her prey, and predators seek to kill her kittens. A desperate mother is forced to leave her lair near the Kedrovaya River and take her babies deep into the Ussuri taiga.

With the onset of winter, not far from the den that Kedrovka was forced to leave, the carcass of a deer suddenly appeared. Who got it? Kedrovka herself, one of her surviving and matured kittens, or maybe a new animal has appeared in these wild taiga lands, laying claim to the “taiga throne”?

In order to answer these numerous questions and at the same time capture amazing footage from the life of the most mysterious cats of prey on earth, the team from the My Planet studio turned the territory of the Leopard Land park into an unusually large one. film set. The documentarians used the most advanced, truly unique, most modern technologies and hidden cameras. It is especially important that the film crew observed the most important condition - maintaining the calm of the predators; nothing should frighten them or force them to leave their usual habitats.

Today we introduced you to the most beautiful and rarest predatory cat on Earth. I really want to believe that the Far Eastern leopard will survive, so that in a few years we will not remember it in the past tense. The next generations should see them, they should know about this amazing animal that man so mercilessly exterminated.

The Far Eastern leopard, also known as the Amur, East Siberian, Manchurian leopard or leopard is quite large mammal, belonging to the cat family and the class of predators.

Today, the animal is on the verge of extinction and has an extremely limited habitat, and most of it is located in the Russian Federation.

Description

This animal is the rarest subspecies of the panther family. In Latin its name sounds like Panthera pardus orientalis– this is exactly what the animal is called in international guides.

The animal is quite different large size(body up to 136 cm in length, and weight up to 50 kg) and leads a secretive, twilight lifestyle. Every year, the habitat of this magnificent predator is reduced, which is associated with the expansion of human possessions: the construction of highways, logging and hunting for potential food for the animal.

Since the 20th century, the animal has been protected by the World Conservation Fund and is included in the International and Russian Red Book.

Considering the love of wealthy citizens for exotic pets, this mammal is included in the list I CITES, which makes it possible to prevent its capture from its habitat and the keeping of this representative of the fauna in private nurseries.

Far Eastern leopards are predators that lead a nocturnal or crepuscular lifestyle. He is not picky about food, and his diet includes almost all representatives of the fauna of Southern Primorye. The exception is large predators, which compete with the leopard on hunting grounds. However, these animals do not pose a significant threat to the life of this species, since cases of interspecific fights are the exception rather than the rule.

Habitat area

Less than 50 years ago, the leopard was found in the southern regions of the Usuri region, in Northeast China and on the Korean Peninsula. But due to active human settlement and deforestation, the population of this predator decreased significantly and the habitat was divided into 3 isolated areas - 3 populations kind.

Today the situation has only worsened, since these impressive predators can only be found in an isolated area of 10-15 thousand km2, located on the border of the Russian Federation, China and the DPRK. In Russia wild beast the most common, and the number of individuals is 40–50 animals. This is the largest figure, because 8–11 animals are believed to live in China.

This information is often subject to doubt, since there is a high probability that these felines simply wandered into the lands of the People's Republic of China from Russian Primorye in search of prey. Wild cats have not been recorded on the Korean Peninsula for a long time. Although in the 20th century it was claimed that about 40 individuals of this species successfully live within the reservation located near Paektusan.

However, research by zoologists conducted in the 90s of the last century could not prove this statement, since no reliable traces of this animal were found.

Appearance

This representative of the cat family is rightfully one of the most beautiful inhabitants of our planet. After all, this animal is the owner of luxurious fur, with an incredible pattern. The beast has a slender, flexible silhouette, which is complemented by a long tail. The body of the animal is slightly elongated and complemented by a rounded head. The leopard is silent, which is due to the presence of slender and powerful paws.

The sizes of males and females have some differences. Thus, representatives of the stronger sex are larger: the body length is up to 136 cm, and the tail is up to 90 cm. Females are slightly smaller. Their body length is up to 112 cm, and their tail is up to 73 cm. The weight of the Far Eastern leopard is a controversial issue. By different sources, their weight can be up to 53 – 60 kg.

This parameter is determined by the tracks found, the depth and size of which indicate the estimated parameters of the animal that passed. The height of the animal at the withers is 64 - 78 cm. The length of the hind foot reaches 24 - 27 cm. The fur of the animals is striking in its beauty. In a physically healthy representative of this species, it is smooth and shiny. In summer, the length of the coat is up to 2.5 cm.

With the onset of cold weather, the Far Eastern leopard warms itself. The density of its fur increases, and the length of the coat is already 5–7 cm. Sexual dimorphism is manifested only in the size of individuals, while the coloring of representatives of this species does not differ between males and females.

The color of the animal may vary. In the cold season, shades from pale yellow to rusty tones with splashes of gold predominate. With warming, the color becomes brighter and more saturated. Against this background, black rings or spots are visualized.

Far Eastern leopards are impressive yellow eyes with oval-shaped pupils located vertically. With the onset of night, a standard reaction is observed, accompanied by dilation of the pupils. This is due to the need to perceive less concentrated light sources and see in the dark. The animal's claws are light in color, reminiscent of wax, with whitish tips.

These murder weapons are impressive in size: up to 55 mm. However, it shows them only when necessary; at rest, the claws are hidden between the pads on the paws. This ensures silent movement and keeps the beast's weapon sharp.

Habitat

This feline is not comfortable in every landscape. The first factor that matters is privacy, absence of road noise and almost complete exclusion of humans. Also, a wild predator is demanding in terms of having a sufficient amount of food. Therefore, the minimum population of roe deer in his domain should be at least 10 - 11 individuals per 1000 m2.

This representative of felines prefers mixed forests of the Manchurian type. These are predominantly coniferous and broad-leaved trees growing in rugged terrain. Also, wild animals prefer areas with rocky ledges, slopes, various reservoirs, rivers - places where they can hide and easily hide from a threat.

Lifestyle

This representative of the feline is a predator leading a solitary lifestyle. One adult individual has hunting grounds of 239–509 km2. Usually such massive possessions belong to males, while females need much smaller possessions - up to 128 km2. A wild animal can coexist with representatives of the opposite sex, rigidly protecting the center of its territory from brothers of the same sex.

This representative of the feline defends its possessions only from seizure attempts. So, a male can attack another male if he tried to mark his territory. Young representatives of the same sex are allowed to cross the domain of the dominant male and even hunt them.

Scientists note the presence of hunting trails used by several leopards at once. He leads the twilight or night image life, leaving their shelter approximately 2 hours before sunset and returning to it by the middle of the night. But several cases of leopard hunting during the day have been recorded. This is the exception rather than the rule. Animals usually form dens on a permanent basis. They do not leave their shelters throughout their lives or several years.

Nutrition

Leopards are not too picky when it comes to food, because the population of potential prey is rapidly decreasing, so the animal does not disdain small prey. The basis of the predator’s diet consists of the following fauna:

Roe deer.
Noble deer.
Seals.
or piglets.
Red deer calves.

In the absence of the main objects of hunting, the animal easily switches to badgers, hares, raccoon dogs, pheasants and hazel grouse. Scientists have also recorded cases of leopard attacks on small moose calves, bear cubs or wounded bears. They do not disdain carrion. After all, an adult’s hunger strike can last no more than 14 days. Plants are also included in the animal's diet.

This information was obtained by examining feces in which traces of flora representatives were found. Typically, an animal eats grass to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, and not as a necessary addition to the diet.

Reproduction

Achieving sexual maturity in this representative of the feline occurs at 24 - 36 months - not earlier. And females have the opportunity to conceive only once every 3 years, which is extremely low for representatives of the animal world.

Attention!

The Far Eastern leopard is on the verge of extinction due to extremely slow reproduction, because pregnancy occurs only in 80% of cases, and the number of cubs raised by a female usually consists of 1 - 2 kittens. For comparison, other felines usually have 3–6 kittens. In addition, the number of sexually mature individuals ready for reproduction is extremely small.

These wild animals are polygamous. Far Eastern leopards form pairs only for the mating period, which coincides with the females' estrus: late autumn - early winter. It is during the rutting period that it is easier to find animals, since males actively make themselves known with loud roars and roars, which often leads to fights over the right to possess a representative of the opposite sex.

Spotted cats are chosen for courtship and mating in January. Males prefer females with an already adult litter, the kittens of which are ready to begin independent life. Therefore, matings occur after the expulsion of the previous offspring or directly in front of them. After mating is complete, the female sets up a den. To do this, the animal chooses rock crevices and caves.

The female's pregnancy lasts on average 90–105 days, after which kittens are born. Normally, a litter consists of 1 – 4 kittens. However, the percentage of early mortality is high, so by the time the female leaves the den (2–3 months after birth), she has 1–2 cubs left.

A formidable predator is born weighing only 400 - 600 g. Kittens are initially blind and begin to see only 7–9 days after birth. From 12 to 15 days they actively crawl, and from 35 days they walk. The lactation period for the female is 3–6 months, after which the kittens are switched to meat. Starting from 2 to 3 months after birth, the mother regurgitates semi-digested food to make it easier for the babies to eat it.

But then the young leopard is switched to raw meat. At 8 months, learning the basics of hunting and searching for prey begins. By 10–11 months, kittens are ready for independent hunting trips. Kittens usually stay with their mother until they are 13–14 months old, after which they begin an independent, solitary life.

Taxonomy

The leopard is included in the general biological classification. This type is on the verge of extinction, therefore, in addition to standardizing it according to certain characteristics, scientists regularly monitor the dynamics of increase or decrease in the animal’s population.

The place of the Far Eastern leopard in the general taxonomy looks like this:

Eukaryote.
Animal.
Chordata.
Mammal.
Predator.
Feline.
Panther.
Leopard.
Far Eastern leopard.

Scientists also systematized observations of the dynamics of the animal population. Thus, from 2007 – 2013, an increase in the number of predator individuals was recorded from 33 – 36 to 34 – 50. Which is already a success. However, the positive dynamics do not mean that the threat of extinction has disappeared.

Meaning

Predators are forest orderlies. After all, the animal not only hunts, but also helps eliminate carrion from the landscape, which helps reduce the spread of various diseases and dangerous infections among the inhabitants of the forest.

Status of this animal: on the verge of extinction. Therefore, people are doing everything possible to preserve its population. After all, each representative of the fauna plays its role. Thus, the wild cat regulates the population of herbivores, which contributes to the development of forests. Indeed, in the absence of predators, roe deer and deer would easily destroy all plantings, moving to gardens and fields of national importance. Which would lead to food shortages.

Enemies

wild animals are tolerant of competing predators. However, encounters with some animals may result in a fight. Among the potentially dangerous animals it is worth highlighting:

Domestic dogs.
Wolves.
Tigers.

It is domestic dogs that pose the greatest danger to this predator. After all, the spotted animal most often becomes a victim of their attacks. Meetings with a hungry pack of wolves can also end sadly. Fights with tigers and bears are extremely rare.

Lifespan

The leopard is listed in the International and Russian Red Book. It is classified in the first category, which indicates the extreme vulnerability of the species and its extinction. To protect and restore the animal population, international and Russian programs. Scientists and the government have strictly prohibited the hunting of this animal, as well as its capture or sale to private nurseries.

The territory where the spotted beauty lives is protected by law, therefore any agricultural activity, like deforestation, is strictly prohibited there. Due to the spread of poaching, the government has tightened the punishment for 1 killed Far Eastern leopard. So, if the culprit is a single hunter, he faces a fine and up to 3 years in prison.

If a group of people hunted, the term of imprisonment increases to 7 years, and the fine increases to 2 million.

The wild beast is one of the most secretive animals.
To monitor it, scientists use hidden cameras that turn on when motion sensors are triggered.
This is due to the fact that the animal usually notices people located in a hidden position and simply bypasses them.
An additional factor for research is animal tracks. From these, scientists make casts, which are studied in detail in the laboratory.
Based on their depth and size, zoologists can calculate the approximate size, weight and age of an individual.
Another interesting fact is the originality of the drawing.
Each wild animal has an individual location and number of spots.
There are no two identical individuals in the world.
It is by drawing that scientists distinguish animals whose images were obtained from hidden cameras.

He is the most intelligent sea inhabitants. They know how to talk to each other, hunt well in groups, and have excellent tactics.

The Far Eastern leopard is the rarest large cat on the planet. This is the northernmost subspecies of leopard and the only one that has learned to live and hunt in the snow. This is the most peaceful subspecies of leopard and the only one that has signed a non-aggression pact with humans. But, unfortunately, this pact turned out to be one-sided. Our leopard never attacks a person, and a person remains a mortal threat to him.

According to the results of the last accounting, in 2018, 91 adult spotted predators and 22 kittens were recorded in the specially protected natural area “Land of the Leopard”. A hundred years ago, these cats inhabited the entire Korean Peninsula and two provinces of China. Today, the range of the Far Eastern leopard is the south of Primorsky Krai and the northeast of China. For a long time, very few people knew about the existence of this unique animal in Russia, even in Primorye. Most were involved in the conservation of another rare cat, the Amur tiger, while since the 1980s, as a result of extermination, the number of the Far Eastern leopard has become critically low, amounting to only about 30 individuals. Thanks to government assistance and the work of environmental organizations, steps began to be taken to save the rare predator in the early 2000s. An important milestone was the creation of the Land of the Leopard National Park in 2012. The first results of the work within the project inspire optimism - the number of leopards has begun to grow. The area of its range is expanding, going beyond the territory of Russia. However, for the safety of the population, its size must be at least 150 individuals. Currently, the Far Eastern leopard is still on the verge of extinction. Hunting for the Far Eastern leopard has been prohibited since 1956; the predator is included in the IUCN Red Book, the Red Book of Russia, as well as in a number of other protection documents. The lifespan of leopards in captivity reaches 20 years, in the wild - 10-15 years.

There are several reasons for the decrease in the range of the Far Eastern leopard: a reduction in the food supply as a result of economic development of forests and poaching of ungulates; hunting the predators themselves; destruction of habitats due to tree cutting and forest fires. The leopard's flexible nature has allowed it to learn to live in close proximity to people. And although we give him a lot of trouble, he manages to exist in almost the most populated corner of Primorye, remaining an elusive ghost for the residents.

Despite the fact that leopards are predominantly introverted and would prefer their own to any company, courtship reveals their truly passionate nature. One spotted gentleman can show attention to several ladies at once. Expectant mother approaches the issue of parenthood with full responsibility, carefully arranging the nursery in scattered stones, caves or under rock overhangs. The leopardess stays in position for only 90 days, and then gives birth to two or three kittens. On the seventh to ninth day, the babies open their eyes, and at two weeks they actively explore the surrounding space, crawling around the nest. Tireless researchers give mom a lot of trouble in their quest to quickly understand the world. After a year, the adults leave their mother.

The Far Eastern leopard is significantly inferior in physical indicators to its brother, the Amur tiger. However, do not think that its lower weight and size make it a worse hunter. On the contrary, unlike the tiger, the spotted athlete is an excellent climber. He prefers to live on hills, mountain ridges, and hilltops. Such skills allow the leopard to avoid dangerous encounters with a tiger and stalk prey from afar. Conquerors of rocky slopes have keen eyesight. The Far Eastern leopard can spot potential prey from a distance of one and a half kilometers!

This is a swift and silent hunter with amazing hearing. This predator usually goes hunting an hour or two before sunset and hunts for the first half of the night, although sometimes it pursues prey during the day, especially on cloudy, cold days and in winter. The leopard feeds mainly on ungulates - sika deer and roe deer. One spotted roe deer or deer is enough for the Far Eastern leopard to live for 10 days. It is important that the rulers of the taiga lands are very careful owners. They never undermine the number of ungulates on their territory and kill only as many as they can eat. Leopards are excellent runners and swimmers. However, when hunting, they prefer to rely on their excellent camouflage and tracking skills.

The leopard is not a sedentary animal. He constantly walks around the area. Each leopard has its own habitat. They regularly walk around the perimeter and also visit certain places to leave your marks. The color of a leopard's skin depends on the time of year. In summer, the fur color acquires a brighter and more saturated shade, which at the same time perfectly camouflages the leopard. From the very birth of a leopard, spots on its skin, the so-called rosettes, form their own unique pattern, characteristic only of this animal. This pattern does not change throughout life, like human fingerprints. It is by these spots that scientists distinguish one individual from another. The powerful neck allows this cat to drag and lift prey weighing twice its own, and with the help long tail he can jump from a standstill to a height of up to 5 meters.

If the Far Eastern leopard sees people in the taiga, it skillfully hides from them. The study of the Far Eastern leopard is carried out only by non-contact methods - using camera traps and tracking tracks in the snow. Trapping of these rare cats is prohibited. Each leopard recorded by a camera trap is assigned an identification number, for example Leo 5F. In addition, leopards are given names. In the “Land of the Leopard” live such predators as Grace, Cleopatra, Lord and others.

Why is it important to preserve the Far Eastern leopard?

The Far Eastern leopard is an indicator of the state of the ecosystem. These cats live in unique nature southwest of Primorsky Krai, where the taiga meets the tropics. Local forests boast a wealth of flora and fauna. An ecosystem is a single, harmoniously operating mechanism. The loss of any seemingly insignificant link entails the most serious changes in the entire system. Therefore, preserving as many animal species as possible is an important task. Each species is unique and necessary for nature and man. If endangered species are not saved, the balance in the natural environment will be disrupted. The healthy functioning of the entire ecosystem depends on the state of the spotted cat population, because it is predators who regulate the number of animals lower in the chain. For example, herbivores reproduce quite quickly and, in the absence of predators, can dramatically increase the population and create a huge load on vegetation, which will not be able to recover on its own. This will lead to a global food shortage and the extinction of all animals. And if the Far Eastern leopard feels comfortable and the population grows, the whole nature is healthy.

In years when the snow cover is high, roe deer and sika deer - animals that form the basis of the diet of the Far Eastern leopard - leave their habitats en masse. At such moments, people come to the aid of a predator in difficulty - the staff of the national park organize feeding stations for the ungulates so that they do not starve and do not allow the predators to starve.

Leopardesses prefer tiny caves with a reliable security system to spacious apartments: the entrance to their home is so narrow that only the owner can enter it. This factor is especially important during the period of birth of spotted babies. Best areas for living from the leopard's point of view - hills with rocky slopes and areas with rugged terrain. At the same time, Far Eastern leopards, like Amur tigers, look like domestic cats, and they, in turn, look like us - we all love to lie in a cozy place with beautiful views.

The hunting of the Far Eastern leopard is of particular interest to researchers. Conventionally, this process can be divided into four stages: searching for a victim, hiding, throwing and fighting. Despite the habit constant movement The leopard is not susceptible to current sporting trends and is not inclined to run a marathon again. Therefore, he does not chase prey for a long time.

But a skilled spotted tracker can sneak up to a prey at a distance of up to five meters, and then overtake it in several jumps and crush it. Silently approaching an unsuspecting prey is called stealth: on bent paws, a cautious predator half-crawls its way to potential prey, using natural shelters. Moreover, in winter, from its tracks in the snow, you can trace the whole picture of the hunt: it is noticeable how the steps become smaller, how tense before the throw, gathered into an elastic spring, the leopard crawls with its belly through the snow, as close to the ground as possible.

The rugged terrain of the territory trained the leopard to become a true strategist and master of tactical actions. While the future meal should not guess its sad fate, its owner cannot lose sight of the goal. That is, it is necessary to simultaneously remain invisible and have a good overview. Therefore, the genius of natural camouflage bypasses its target in such a way that the wind blows in the opposite direction from it and the victim cannot sense the approaching danger. However, luck plays a significant role in good hunting. Often, even a predator armed with skills, abilities and innate instincts has to work hard to provide itself with a worthwhile feast.