Amur Leopard (Panthera Pardus Orientalis)

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Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)
Amur leopard is a much endangered species of leopard of the genus Panthera pardus. This specie of leopard is native to South East Russia and North East China where a few number has been conserved. In 1996 this specie of leopards was classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the critically endangered animal in the world (Woods 2008). This was due to the low number of these leopards that was projected as surviving. It was estimated that only between 19-26 Amur leopards were existing in the world in 1997. Although with conservation of this endangered species the number rose and by 2015 it had reached over 70 leopards found in the two native habitats of Southeast Russia and Jilin region of China.
Amur leopards are characterized by thick coat of fur which is spot-covered which differentiates this specie of leopards from the rest and makes them adapted to live in the temperate regions of Russia and China. The Amur leopards are the only subspecies of Panthera pardus that are adapted to live in snowy climate of the habitats that they live in (Miller 2009). Amur leopards like living in individual territories and are very conservative when choosing the territories to live in and may vary in size depending on the available source of food which is the wild animals including the deer and black bears. The size of the territory that an individual Amur leopard prefers to live in varies with the sex, age and family size with the medium aged ones portraying larger territories along river basins than the older ones. Researchers have been able to note that these subspecies of leopards is likely to use similar hunting trails and constant migration routes when they plan to migrate within the habitat or from one habitat to the other (Hebblewhite, Miquelle and Aramilev 2011). Their major meal is the ungulates and the Amur leopards may live permanently is habitats that have plenty of wild animals where they only perform vertical migrations depending on the migrations of their prey.
Reproduction in Amur Leopards population is very seasonal and they breed more often during the spring and early summer when the temperatures are moderate and they are able to move out of their habitats in an often manner. Their sexual maturity begins at ages of between 2 and 3 years and continues to the ages of between 10 and 15 years (Omer 2015). The gestation period for Amur leopards in between 90 to 105 days and one female is able to give birth to between one and four cabs. The cabs are lactated for periods ranging from five to six months after which they are weaned and able to eat meat. Newborn cubs weigh about 700g and they are weaned at the age of three months. The young Amur leopards move away from their mothers at the age of about one and half years when they start searching for their own habitats and feeding on opportunistic prey.
One of the concerns in the conservation of Amur leopards is the continuing risk of inbreeding which has been termed as one of the biggest threat to the survival of Amur leopards. This is so due to the low number of Amur leopards that is able to reproduce in the wild thus lead...