Why are they Endangered?
There are various reasons why the Amur leopard is endangered, such as the destruction of their habitat, hunting and inbreeding.
Firstly the prime area in which the Amur leopard lives is the forests of Eastern Asia. These forest areas are often purposefully burnt down by the local villagers to help the profitable growth of ferns. These ferns are a very popular ingredient in local Chinese and Russian cuisine. The forest fires are the largest contributor to the Amur leopard’s population decline. Forest fires cripple Amur leopard populations
There has also been a massive increase in the property market in eastern Russia and northern China which also contribute to the decline. Farmers are known to do large scale vengeance …show more content…
This group is the most successful of its kind in Russia racking up more than 1000 convictions, 400 seizures of firearms and forty criminal proceedings. This group also helps stop the illegal trade of animal bones and pelts. Tracking an Amur leopard
Another group, the WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) captured, studied and re-introduced a healthy female leopard to assist monitoring local populations. It was a major success and helped document eight Amur leopards in the region.
There are over 200 Amur leopards in captivity around the world. In zoos breeding can be monitored and encouraged between two genetically unique animals by swapping animals between different zoos. Also zoos allow the general public to be informed on the issue and to raise awareness of the topic.
These groups solely rely on donations, which allow them to lobby governments, raise awareness, maintain facilities and fund units like the anti-poaching team.
A similar animal, the Amur Tiger also had a staggeringly low population. In the early 1900’s there was roughly 40 tigers left in the wild, but through conservation efforts the species was able to overcome this and has a current population of roughly 500.
What the future holds for the Amur …show more content…
Summary
I chose the Amur leopard for this project as I strongly believe there is a real chance that these majestic animals will soon be extinct. Not many people realise just how low numbers are in the wild and the difficulties these creatures face on a daily basis.
I feel that the general public are not aware of the plight of these animals and I hope with this project that I have raised awareness. In doing so I believe that the survival of this extraordinary species is viable and attainable. However it will take the dedication and hard work of the many charitable organisations in cooperation with the many zoos and wildlife parks that have the Amur leopards in captivity.
It is essential that the leopards in captivity are bred with the appropriate partner to ensure genetic diversity which will, in the future, hopefully reduce the risk of the species extinction through inbreeding. It will also ensure that the leopards born in the future will be stronger, increase the lifespan of the species and that the species will have fewer diseases to contend
There are various reasons why the Amur leopard is endangered, such as the destruction of their habitat, hunting and inbreeding.
Firstly the prime area in which the Amur leopard lives is the forests of Eastern Asia. These forest areas are often purposefully burnt down by the local villagers to help the profitable growth of ferns. These ferns are a very popular ingredient in local Chinese and Russian cuisine. The forest fires are the largest contributor to the Amur leopard’s population decline. Forest fires cripple Amur leopard populations
There has also been a massive increase in the property market in eastern Russia and northern China which also contribute to the decline. Farmers are known to do large scale vengeance …show more content…
This group is the most successful of its kind in Russia racking up more than 1000 convictions, 400 seizures of firearms and forty criminal proceedings. This group also helps stop the illegal trade of animal bones and pelts. Tracking an Amur leopard
Another group, the WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) captured, studied and re-introduced a healthy female leopard to assist monitoring local populations. It was a major success and helped document eight Amur leopards in the region.
There are over 200 Amur leopards in captivity around the world. In zoos breeding can be monitored and encouraged between two genetically unique animals by swapping animals between different zoos. Also zoos allow the general public to be informed on the issue and to raise awareness of the topic.
These groups solely rely on donations, which allow them to lobby governments, raise awareness, maintain facilities and fund units like the anti-poaching team.
A similar animal, the Amur Tiger also had a staggeringly low population. In the early 1900’s there was roughly 40 tigers left in the wild, but through conservation efforts the species was able to overcome this and has a current population of roughly 500.
What the future holds for the Amur …show more content…
Summary
I chose the Amur leopard for this project as I strongly believe there is a real chance that these majestic animals will soon be extinct. Not many people realise just how low numbers are in the wild and the difficulties these creatures face on a daily basis.
I feel that the general public are not aware of the plight of these animals and I hope with this project that I have raised awareness. In doing so I believe that the survival of this extraordinary species is viable and attainable. However it will take the dedication and hard work of the many charitable organisations in cooperation with the many zoos and wildlife parks that have the Amur leopards in captivity.
It is essential that the leopards in captivity are bred with the appropriate partner to ensure genetic diversity which will, in the future, hopefully reduce the risk of the species extinction through inbreeding. It will also ensure that the leopards born in the future will be stronger, increase the lifespan of the species and that the species will have fewer diseases to contend