WWF: World’s Rarest Wild Cat Thrown a Lifeline with Establishment of New National Park

New national park in Russia protects habitat of critically endangered Amur leopard

Press Release

Caroline Behringer
caroline.behringer@wwfus.org
(202) 344-0852

WASHINGTON, DC, April 10, 2012 – World Wildlife Fund (WWF) today announced the establishment of a new national park in Russia as part of efforts to save the world’s rarest cat – the Amur leopard. Fewer than 40 Amur leopards are believed to exist in the wild, the majority of which reside in the new Land of the Leopard National Park in Russia’s Far East. The national park includes around 60 percent of the critically endangered cat’s remaining habitat.

“Amur leopards are literally teetering on the brink of extinction,” said Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf, head of WWF’s species program. “With the establishment of Land of the Leopard National Park, in conjunction with other conservation efforts, we can now start to focus on how to begin bringing them back.”

Land of the Leopard National Park, which includes all of the Amur leopard’s breeding areas, extends across nearly 650,000 acres (262,000 hectares). The national park will also become home to 10 Amur tigers...

Source: WWF: World’s Rarest Wild Cat Thrown a Lifeline with Establishment of New National Park
Author: WWF

Link: Amur Leopard - An endangered solitary hunter
Link: New National Park provides hope for world’s rarest wild cat


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Conservationists begin census of nearly extinct Amur leopard in Russia's Far East, China (en)