Amur+Leopard

//Panthera pardus orientalis
 * (endangered)**//

In this exhibit you will find the Amur leopard. This beautiful cat is one of the rarest subspecies of leopards in the world and in fact only about 30 individuals remain in the wild. The Zoo's male, the largest of the two was born in 1998 and the female was born in 2000.

This cat 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. The Amur has widely spaced rosettes with thick borders, and the color of their coat changes from lighter in the winter to a more reddish-yellow in the summer. Their long legs and long hair allow them to live in such cold climates, as well as having the ability to run at speeds of 37 miles per hour for short periods of time. Leopards give a distinctive rasping call, rather than a growl, as their main vocalization.

The adult males weigh an average of 70 to 130 pounds and the average weight for females is 55 to 95 pounds. Their diet at the Zoo, consists of a commercially prepared meat containing vitamin and mineral supplements. But in the wild, these cats prey on deer, wild boar, and small mammals. As a solitary animal, they stalk their prey and eat alone, sometimes leaving leftovers in the trees for a later time. They are exceptionally good climbers.

There are many threats to this species. Habitat destruction, loss of prey species, poaching for the fur trade, and trophy hunting have all contributed to the decline of the Amur leopard.


 * References:** www.**amur**-**leopard**.org/

**NOTE: With only 30 - 40 remaining in the wild, the Amur leopards are listed in international, federal and regional levels as critically endangered and are in immediate danger of extinction.**