Amur Leopard: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Big Cats · day 6 of 7

Five facts

1. Amur leopards swim the Tumen River between Russia, China and maybe North Korea, even though a tall wire fence marks the border.
2. In winter, an Amur leopard's back hair grows up to 70 mm long, far longer than the 20-25 mm of summer.
3. The rosettes on its flanks are about 5 cm across with thick, unbroken rings, and they sit far apart, up to 2.5 cm.
4. Amur leopards are usually found where wild sika deer live, one of their main prey.
5. In 2007 only 19 to 26 wild Amur leopards were estimated to survive. In 2023 the estimate was 128 to 130.

The quiz

1. What runs along the border where Amur leopards cross the Tumen River?

• A wide highway
• A high, long wire fence (correct)
• A stone wall
• A canal

A tall wire fence marks the border they cross.

2. How long can an Amur leopard's winter back hair get?

• Up to 5 mm
• Up to 25 mm
• Up to 70 mm (correct)
• Up to 20 mm

Winter back hair reaches up to 70 mm.

3. How far apart can the rosettes on its flanks be?

• Up to 2.5 cm (correct)
• Up to 0.5 cm
• Up to 10 cm
• Up to 5 cm

The rosettes sit far apart, up to 2.5 cm.

4. Amur leopards are usually found where which wild deer lives?

• White-tailed deer
• Mule deer
• Fallow deer
• Sika deer (correct)

They are usually found where wild sika deer, one of their main prey, live.

5. What was the estimate for 2023?

• 128 to 130 (correct)
• 19 to 26
• 92 to 100
• Under 60

The 2023 estimate was 128 to 130.

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