With an estimated 25 to 35 known individuals left in the wild, the Amur Leopard has become the rarest subspecies of leopard in the world. Historically ranging throughout northeastern China and southeastern Russia, this captivating feline has been listed as critically endangered under the IUCN Red List and are in immediate danger of extinction because of human encroachment. Suffering from habitat loss, inbreeding due to lack of diversity, poaching, and pure human ignorance have pushed the Amur leopard to become the most endangered of all large cats.

The captive population is also struggling. Of about 150-200 individuals left in captivity, only 12 are purebred as a result of interbreeding with animals of unknown heritage.

Despite how terrible this entire situation might seem, there is still hope.

The largest of all felines, the Siberian, or Amur Tiger was also once on the brink of extinction with only an estimated 150 individuals surviving in the wild. However, millions of dollars in contributions and the amazing efforts of conservationists and wildlife management specialists, the Siberian Tiger population has grown to a healthy 400 cats. We cannot give up.


For those of you who are lucky enough to have access to a zoo that houses Amur leopards, I strongly encourage you to go and see them for yourselves. I guarantee their magnificent presence will captivate you. One stare of those piercing eyes can haunt and mystify. Please, inform yourselves and others about this critically endangered feline. Donate, volunteer, do whatever you can to stop extinction from claiming yet another fascinating creature.

For those of us who are not able to see the Amur leopard in person, these amazing photographers have captured the very essence and spirit of the large cat:

*redbeard31
*fremlin
~Hassat-Hunter
~Unanchored-Soul
:devpuszzled2007:
*foowahu
`guitarjohnny
~HardpointPhotography
~nitsch
~mhackett
:devinsanegelfing:
=thrumyeye
~hoboinaschoolbus
~sekhmet-neseret

I want to thank them sincerely for sharing their gorgeous photographs with the dA community and helping spread the word of a vanishing beauty.

For more information and ways to help:
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