Conservation Threats to Amur Leopards

Written By: Aimee Turcotte
​At Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, we are fortunate to have Amur Leopards, one of the rarest big cat species in the world. These apex predators face numerous threats, including habitat destruction, illegal poaching, climate change, and disease. If Amur Leopards were to go extinct, the food web would become destabilized due to an increase in prey species such as hares (7.). The Amur Leopard ensures there is no overpopulation of one prey species, which protects biodiversity and maintains the balance of the ecosystem (7.).

Amur Leopards (Panthera pardus orientalis) are agile and adaptable big cats found in the Russian province of Primorsky Krai and China. The mountainous forests of these Asian regions experience various climate conditions, including hot summers and extremely cold winters, to which Amur Leopards have acclimated by growing denser fur in winter (2.). The mixed deciduous and coniferous vegetation of the forests provides Amur Leopards with cover while stalking their prey (10.). At Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, the Horticulture and Animal Care departments designed the habitat of the Amur Leopard to replicate the mountainous forests of the leopard’s native range by adding rocks, logs, trees, bushes, and stumps throughout its habitat. The extreme winter and summer climate conditions in the Amur Leopard’s native range are similar, but to a lesser degree, to the temperature shifts that the Amur Leopards at the zoo experience here in Connecticut.

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The range of the Amur Leopard extended from northeastern China to the Korean Peninsula until forest fires, indiscriminate logging, and the clearance of vegetation for farmland destroyed its habitat (8.). Habitat loss resulted in a decline of prey populations (such as wild boar and Sika Deer), leaving Amur Leopards with less access to food. To survive, some Amur Leopards abandoned the mountainous forests that were once their home, forcing them into human-populated areas. Unfortunately, this movement into human-inhabited areas made leopards vulnerable to illegal hunting. For instance, poachers would hunt Amur Leopards for their beautiful fur, which was illegally sold on the black market (3.; 8.). Additionally, poachers have killed leopards to use their bones as an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine (9.). In 2020, 24 firms in China were exposed for using leopard bones in medicines (6.). Deer farmers have also killed Amur Leopards that were spotted climbing fences of deer farms to prey on Sika Deer (2.). Due to habitat loss and illegal hunting, it is estimated that only 80 to 100 Amur Leopards remain in the wild (4.).

Climate change has been proven to have a significant impact on Amur Leopards. As global carbon dioxide emissions rise, global temperatures increase, accompanied by a rise in extreme weather events (10.; 11.). The Amur Leopard relies on rainfall to support vegetation growth in its habitat. During humid seasons, a lack of rainfall has caused wildfires that
destroy parts of the leopard’s habitat. Interestingly, climate change has also made Amur Leopards more susceptible to diseases. Deforestation has led to various species coming into frequent contact with each other, resulting in cross-species disease transmission (11.).

One of the newest threats to Amur Leopards is Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), a highly infectious disease most common in dogs (5.). This disease primarily affects the respiratory and intestinal systems, but there have been cases where neurological issues, such as seizures, have occurred. For example, a two-year-old wild Amur Leopard tested positive for CDV after being found on the side of a road exhibiting neurological issues. The leopard likely encountered a domestic dog or a wild carnivore, such as a fox, that had the virus. Vaccinations for CDV in Amur Leopards have not yet been implemented due to insufficient research on the ecology of CDV (5.).
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Fortunately, conservationists are taking action to protect critically endangered Amur Leopards. In 2012, the Russian government established the Land of the Leopard National Park, a protected area of about 650,000 acres (12.). This park encompasses approximately 60% of the Amur Leopard’s remaining habitat, containing safe areas for breeding (12.). Furthermore, governments and organizations have been implementing stronger environmental policies against poaching. Conservation organizations, such as Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, have been raising awareness about Amur Leopards by educating individuals about the threats they face and the importance of protecting these magnificent animals. Amur Leopards are safeguarded through their own Species Survival Plan (SSP), which includes a Breeding and Transfer Plan at AZA-accredited (Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited) zoos to manage the Amur Leopard population (1.).


APA Citations
1. Association of Zoos and Aquariums. (n.d.). Species Survival Plan Programs. https://www.aza.org/species-survival-plan-programs?locale=en
2. Boreal Forest. (2022, November 8). Amur Leopard – Panthera Pardus Orientalis. https://www.borealforest.org/amur-leopard/
3. Brooks, J. (2023, September 14). Saving the Amur Leopard: A Global Conservation Effort. Wild Explained. https://wildexplained.com/animal-encyclopedia/saving-the-amur-leopard-a-global-conservation-effort/
4. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. (n.d.). Amur Leopard. Amur Leopard - Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. https://www.beardsleyzoo.org/amur-leopard.html
5. Cordova, M. G. (2018, January 17). Critically endangered Amur leopard faces new threat. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/about-us/news/20180117/critically-endangered-amur-leopard-faces-new-threat
6. Environmental Investigation Agency. (2020, April 3). 24 firms in China exposed for using bones of endangered leopards in traditional medicines. https://eia-international.org/press-releases/24-firms-in-china-exposed-for-using-bones-of-endangered-leopards-in-traditional-medicines/
7. Enviroliteracy Team. (2025, March 11). What would happen to the ecosystem if Amur leopards went extinct? Environmental Literacy Council. https://enviroliteracy.org/what-would-happen-to-the-ecosystem-if-amur-leopards-went-extinct/
8. Enviroliteracy Team. (2025, March 5). What are 5 reasons the Amur leopard is endangered? Environmental Literacy Council. https://enviroliteracy.org/what-are-5-reasons-the-amur-leopard-is-endangered/
9. Enviroliteracy Team. (2025, March 23). What is the rarest type of leopard? Environmental Literacy Council. https://enviroliteracy.org/animals/what-is-the-rarest-type-of-leopard/
10. Jinyuan Zeng et al. (2022). Effects of Climate Change on the Habitat of the Leopard (Panthera pardus) in the Liupanshan National Nature Reserve of China. Animals, 12(14), 1866. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12141866
11. Xiaogang Li et al. (2023). Climate change puts Amur leopards at risk. Science, 382(6674), 1007. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adl6721
12. World Wildlife Foundation. (n.d.). Amur Leopard. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/amur-leopard