Amur leopard -- Panthera pardus orientalis

Amur Leopard - Page 1&2: In The Wild | 3&4: In Captivity | 5&6: Subspecies Description |
7: Weight & Length Figures | 8&9: Conservation


Reintroducing captive bred Amur leopards into the wild:

A frequently discussed topic, this may be an option in the future. Captive bred animals could extend the wild gene pool, or may be used to create a second population in areas where the Amur leopard has long vanished.

It is unknown as to why the leopard became extinct in these areas and possible there are extenuating circumstances which may mean reintroduction into some regions would be unsuccessful.


We do know that the Amur leopards disappeared during a period of healthy growth in the local tiger population, so competition between the two big cats may have been a contributing factor. This seems strange as the region had previously been occupied by both cat types without problem.

Any reintroduction attempt would probably be preceded by the release of a few radio collared individuals. These could be sterilised hybrids which are unable to be used in a captive breeding programme. They would establish if a mass release programme would have a reasonable chance of succeeding.


Reintroduction programmes in general:

Unfortunately past history records that reintroduction programmes for the majority of animals seem to have a low success rate. The USA, though, has managed to release some mountain lions so the problems are not insurmountable.

Extensive studies still need to be carried out to establish the best areas for reintroduction and there is little point in releasing an animal into the wild unless its future safety can be assured.

Amur Leopard - Page 1&2: In The Wild | 3&4: In Captivity | 5&6: Subspecies Description |
7: Weight & Length Figures | 8&9: Conservation

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Photography With Thanks To Hans Stenström
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