New reserve created for remaining Amur leopards
04/11/2008 00:14:29
Far-eastern Amur leopard. copyright WWF-Russia / Vasily Solkin.
Amur leopard trapped by researchers
A team from the Wildife Conservation Society has trapped and released one of the wolrd's rarest big cats.
The new protected nature area will join two small protected areas into one, called Leopardovy Zakaznik (Leopard nature sanctuary); the ministry will also manage the bordering Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve.
Before the decree, the three protected areas had all been managed by different state agencies, which sometimes created confusion. All three areas will now be under the supervision of one ministry which will help implement a single leopard conservation strategy across the whole protected area without wasting time on coordinating activities of different agencies.
WWF proposal
WWF proposed this change as early as 1999, in its Strategy for conservation of the Far Eastern leopard in Russia. "We are happy that finally, after all these years, the government has addressed this issue", says WWF-Russia CEO Igor Chestin. "We hope that the Ministry will immediately start improving management of the protected area to ensure effective leopard conservation. WWF is ready to provide help and advice to the new sanctuary".
Anti-poaching groups
To ensure Far-Eastern leopard protection, WWF created anti-poaching groups in the region. WWF also cooperates with China to create a trans-border system of protected areas for the leopard and to save its habitat from industrial pollution. Special education programs for custom officers helped reduce illegal export of leopard parts to China.
Amur leopards
The Far-Eastern leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is the northernmost leopard subspecies, and the only one in the world adapted to survive long snowy winters. With only about 30 animals left, the Far Eastern leopard is now facing extinction. Direct destruction of habitat (forest fires, timber cutting, road construction, industrial development and country house construction) is the first reason for the dwindling leopard population. Second is the increasing number of people visiting forests and disturbing the leopards. Third is poachers, who kill not only leopards but also its prey. The fourth threat is genetic problems, e.g. inbreeding.
