Amur leopard, the world’s rarest big cat, still clinging on in Russia

"Alyona," a critically endangered Far Eastern leopard being examined by Clay Miller (right) of WCS and John Lewis (left) of Wildlife Vets International who listens for abnormalities of the heart.

Amur leopard trapped by researchers
November 2008. The world's rarest big cat is alive and well, according to researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) who captured and released a female Amur (Far Eastern) leopard in Russia last week.
The capture was made in Primorsky Krai along the Russian-Chinese border by a team of scientists from WCS and the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Biology and Soils (IBS). The team is evaluating the health and potential effects of inbreeding for this tiny population, which experts believe contains no more than 10-15 females.

Just 25-40 left in the wild
The Far Eastern leopard is perhaps the world's most endangered big cat, with an estimated 25-40 individuals inhabiting a narrow strip of land in the far south-eastern corner of the Russian Federation.

The leopardess, nicknamed "Alyona" by the researchers who captured her, was in good physical condition, weighing a healthy 85 pounds (39 kilograms). A preliminary health analysis revealed that she is he is believed to be between 8-10 years old. The animal has since been released unharmed.

Genetic disorders
Specialists are continuing to analyze blood samples as well as an electrocardiogram, which will reveal genetic information to assess levels of inbreeding. Three leopards captured previously (2 males and 1 female) in 2006 and 2007 all exhibited significant heart murmurs, which may reflect genetic disorders.

"We are excited by the capture, and are hopeful that ongoing analysis of biomedical information will confirm that this individual is in good health," said Alexey Kostyria, Ph.D., senior scientist at IBS and manager for the WCS-IBS project. "This research is critical for conservation of the Far Eastern leopard, as it will help us to determine the risks posed by inbreeding and what we can do to mitigate them."

Introducing fresh blood
One of the options scientists are considering is trans-locating leopards from other areas to increase genetic diversity -- similar to what happened with Florida panthers when animals from Texas were brought in to supplement the remaining population. Today, Florida panthers have risen from less than ten individuals to a population of approximately 100.

The leopard capture and release was overseen by representatives of the Russian federal agency "Inspection Tiger," a special department of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Population stable for thirty years
Over the last 100 years, Far Eastern leopard numbers have been reduced by poaching combined with habitat loss. However, both camera-trapping and snow-tracking surveys indicate that the population has been stable for the last 30 years, but with a high rate of turnover of individuals. If inbreeding or disease can be kept in check, WCS and its partners believe there is great potential for increasing survival rates and habitat recovery in both Russia and Northeast China.

The Wildlife Conservation Society's work to protect Far Eastern leopards receives funding by the following U.S. government agencies: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Save the Tiger Fund, and U.S. Forest Service International Program.

The Far Eastern leopard is listed under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), which protects it against illegal trade for fur and medicinal purposes.

Donations

To donate towards this, or other similar projects, please go to www.wcs.org/donation

Other collaborators include: Wildlife Vets International, National Cancer Institute, and the Zoological Society of London.