Notes from the Artist, Jenny Kendler: This image was inspired by the rainbow-hued animals on the folders, notebooks and Trapper-Keepers of my childhood in the 80's. Those eye-catching images, that were often of endangered animals, really inspired me then --- and I hope that ESPP will inspire you, dear reader, to take action to help conserve this incredible big cat!
More about ALTA - The Amur Leopard & Tiger Alliance: ALTA is an coalition working together for the conservation of Amur Leopards and Amur Tigers. Thirteen international NGOs have pooled resources to create ALTA, and have been co-operating for many years in developing, financing and implementing successful conservation projects in Russia and China. Click here to see more details on their program to save the Amur Leopard.
CLICK HERE to add this print to your cart and pay online, or CLICK HERE to pay by check.
More about ALTA - The Amur Leopard & Tiger Alliance: ALTA is an coalition working together for the conservation of Amur Leopards and Amur Tigers. Thirteen international NGOs have pooled resources to create ALTA, and have been co-operating for many years in developing, financing and implementing successful conservation projects in Russia and China. Click here to see more details on their program to save the Amur Leopard.
CLICK HERE to add this print to your cart and pay online, or CLICK HERE to pay by check.
ABOUT THE AMUR LEOPARD
The Amur Leopard, with only 35-45 animals remaining in the wild, is one of the rarest felids in the world. Of the 8 to 10 defined subspecies of leopard (many of which are also endangered), the Amur Leopard is one the most beautiful and distinctive. Amurs have light blue-green eyes and thick coats, adapted to their snowy northern habitat, which show a high degree of contrast. Their gorgeous coat's base color can reach a pale yellow in winter, and is spotted with large and distinct rosettes. Coat length varies from 2.5 cm in the summer to a plush 7.5 cm in winter.
Female Amur leopards first breed at age 3-4, with an average litter size of only two cubs every two years. Like many endangered predators, this low reproductive rate is not a problem in normal circumstances, but becomes an additional contribution to when an animal has endangered status.
Amur leopards have been reported to leap more than 9 feet vertically and 19 feet horizontally. Like many other cats, the Amur Leopard is a solitary and nocturnal hunter, with their main prey species being sika and roe deer, supplemented by hares and badgers.
The poaching of these prey species, along with the poaching of the cats themselves, is a great part of the Amur Leopards' decline. Though minimal logging in their habitat has not been show to be detrimental to the leopards, logging roads also increase the incidence of poaching, because they increase accessibility.
Survival of the Amur Leopard is also threatened by frequent forest fires, which have destroyed vast swathes of the forests in which they live. Such fires are often started by locals, since fires increase the proliferation of particular ferns, popular in Russian and Chinese dishes.
Genetic research has confirmed that due to it's very limited breeding pool, the wild population is highly inbred. Inbreeding could also be a threat to the future survival of the Amur Leopard, but more research must be conducted before definitive conclusions can be drawn.
It is possible that genetic material from the 300 or so Amur Leopards that are part of breeding programs in European and North American zoos, can eventually be introduced into the wild population. The Amur leopard is likely the only large cat for which a reintroduction program using zoo-bred animals may take place in the near future. According to ALTA, preparations for these releases should begin in 2010-11.
Because a major portion of the Amur Leopard's habitat is located near the Russian border with China and North Korea, it is seen as a profitable area to develop oil & gas pipelines and ports. In 2005-2006, ALTA partners ZSL and Phoenix Fund lead a successful international campaign against a plan to build an oil terminal and refinery plant in the Amur Leopard’s range.
Despite the myriad of threats to this already critically endangered species, there is hope for the exquisite and unique Amur Leopards if funds and support can be provided. 100% of the cost of your ESPP Amur Leopard print assists in the survival of these magnificent cats, through supporting anti-poaching and fire-fighting programs as well as research and public education.
The Amur Leopard, with only 35-45 animals remaining in the wild, is one of the rarest felids in the world. Of the 8 to 10 defined subspecies of leopard (many of which are also endangered), the Amur Leopard is one the most beautiful and distinctive. Amurs have light blue-green eyes and thick coats, adapted to their snowy northern habitat, which show a high degree of contrast. Their gorgeous coat's base color can reach a pale yellow in winter, and is spotted with large and distinct rosettes. Coat length varies from 2.5 cm in the summer to a plush 7.5 cm in winter.
Female Amur leopards first breed at age 3-4, with an average litter size of only two cubs every two years. Like many endangered predators, this low reproductive rate is not a problem in normal circumstances, but becomes an additional contribution to when an animal has endangered status.
Amur leopards have been reported to leap more than 9 feet vertically and 19 feet horizontally. Like many other cats, the Amur Leopard is a solitary and nocturnal hunter, with their main prey species being sika and roe deer, supplemented by hares and badgers.
The poaching of these prey species, along with the poaching of the cats themselves, is a great part of the Amur Leopards' decline. Though minimal logging in their habitat has not been show to be detrimental to the leopards, logging roads also increase the incidence of poaching, because they increase accessibility.
Survival of the Amur Leopard is also threatened by frequent forest fires, which have destroyed vast swathes of the forests in which they live. Such fires are often started by locals, since fires increase the proliferation of particular ferns, popular in Russian and Chinese dishes.
Genetic research has confirmed that due to it's very limited breeding pool, the wild population is highly inbred. Inbreeding could also be a threat to the future survival of the Amur Leopard, but more research must be conducted before definitive conclusions can be drawn.
It is possible that genetic material from the 300 or so Amur Leopards that are part of breeding programs in European and North American zoos, can eventually be introduced into the wild population. The Amur leopard is likely the only large cat for which a reintroduction program using zoo-bred animals may take place in the near future. According to ALTA, preparations for these releases should begin in 2010-11.
Because a major portion of the Amur Leopard's habitat is located near the Russian border with China and North Korea, it is seen as a profitable area to develop oil & gas pipelines and ports. In 2005-2006, ALTA partners ZSL and Phoenix Fund lead a successful international campaign against a plan to build an oil terminal and refinery plant in the Amur Leopard’s range.
Despite the myriad of threats to this already critically endangered species, there is hope for the exquisite and unique Amur Leopards if funds and support can be provided. 100% of the cost of your ESPP Amur Leopard print assists in the survival of these magnificent cats, through supporting anti-poaching and fire-fighting programs as well as research and public education.
