Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Carnivora

Family: Felidae

Genus: Panthera

Species: P. PARDUS

AMUR LEOPORD - ENDANGERED SPECIES

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THEM?

In the Russian Far East, the Amur leopard inhabits an area of about 7,000 km (2,700 sq mi) today. It is well adapted to a cold climate and snow. Leopards cross between Russia, China, and North Korea across the Turmen River, despite a high and long wire fence marking the boundary.

Amur leopards are hunted for their fur, and are now endangered with only around 35 of them left in the wild!

why are they endangered?

Amur leopards are endangered because in Russia they were widely poached for their beautiful spotted fur. Not only that, but a lot of their habitat was destroyed for commercial and logging purposes, killing them, and they are particularly vulnerable to extinction because Amur leopards have the lowest levels of genetic variation of any leopard subspecies.

RECOVERY PLANS!

Recovery plans ARE in motion to help the Amur leopard, but there is no telling if the plans carried out will be successful. The plan includes increasing prey so there is more food for the leopards in the area that they occupy. The WWF is also supporting anti - poaching campaigns and programs in the area. There are 200 captive Amur Leopards in zoos, and about 35 left in the wild!

Impact on the ecosystem

Why Amur leopards are so important. Amur leopards are top predators in their landscape, so they're crucial role for keeping the right balance of species in their area. That also affects the health of the forests and wider environment, which provides local wildlife and people with food, water and other resources. Therefore, with the decreasing population of Amur Leopards, their prey (white hares, deer, etc) will increase drastically in numbers.

What we can do to help

There's not much we can really do to help the Amur Leopards, except raise awareness for them or "Adopt an Animal" online, supporting different foundations that are standing for what is right. We have to protect the glorious creation that God made!

EXTREMOPHILE: THE TARDIGRADE

CLASSIFICATION:

Domain - Eukarya

 Kingdom - Animalia

Phylum - Tardigrada

Class - Eutardigrada

 Order - Parachela

Family - Hypsibiidae

Genus - Hypsibius                           

Species - Hypsibius dujardini