Reviewed August 20, 2026. Population estimates change as monitoring improves. This guide distinguishes a published estimate from a complete census and links directly to the conservation sources used.
The Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is a cold-adapted leopard from the temperate forests of the Russian Far East and neighboring northeast China. It remains one of the world’s rarest big cats. The World Wildlife Fund’s current species profile lists it as Critically Endangered and reports a wild population of more than 84 individuals.
That figure should not be read as an exact worldwide head count. Camera-trap surveys identify animals within monitored landscapes, estimates can refer to different years or geographic areas, and public summaries may lag newer field results. Captive animals are also counted separately from wild leopards. For those reasons, this page uses the sourced “more than 84” formulation instead of combining incompatible numbers.
Amur leopard status at a glance
- Conservation status: Critically Endangered
- Scientific name: Panthera pardus orientalis
- Reported wild population: more than 84 individuals, according to WWF’s public species profile accessed August 20, 2026
- Core habitat: temperate broadleaf and mixed forest in the Russian Far East and northeast China
- Primary pressures: poaching, illegal wildlife trade, prey scarcity, habitat degradation, and the risks faced by a very small population
Why is the Amur leopard endangered?
Poaching and illegal trade
Amur leopards have been killed for their spotted fur. Because the remaining population is small, the loss of even one breeding animal can matter. The subspecies is listed under CITES Appendix I, which prohibits international commercial trade in specimens of the species.
Too little prey
Roe deer, sika deer, wild boar, hares, and other prey support leopards in this landscape. WWF identifies prey scarcity as a major limit on recovery, especially where hunting pressure also reduces the animals leopards depend on. Protecting a predator therefore requires protecting the food web around it.
Habitat pressure and fragmentation
Roads, settlements, unsustainable logging, fire, and other land-use changes can degrade or divide suitable forest. Fragmentation makes it harder for leopards to disperse, find mates, and expand into former range. Our guide to habitat-loss solutions explains how protected areas, corridors, restoration, and local land management work together.
Small-population risk
A population with few breeding animals is vulnerable to inbreeding, disease, severe weather, fire, and random changes in survival or reproduction. This does not mean extinction is inevitable. It means recovery depends on sustained protection, reliable monitoring, connected habitat, and enough prey.
Where do Amur leopards live?
The surviving breeding population is centered in southwest Primorsky Krai in the Russian Far East and adjacent northeast China. The IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group reports that this population’s breeding range has expanded during the past two decades following major conservation efforts. Evidence for a present population on the Korean Peninsula is uncertain, so this guide does not include North Korea as a confirmed current stronghold.
These forests have cold, snowy winters and support both Amur leopards and Amur tigers. The leopard’s longer winter coat and broad paws help it move and hunt in this climate. Explore how this landscape fits into the larger picture in our guide to ecosystems and habitats.
What is helping the population recover?
Protected habitat
Russia established Land of the Leopard National Park in 2012. WWF reports that the protected area extends nearly 650,000 acres, contains all known Amur leopard breeding areas in Russia, and covers about 60% of the subspecies’ remaining habitat at the time described by WWF.
Monitoring and anti-poaching work
Camera traps allow conservation teams to recognize individual leopards by their unique coat patterns, document reproduction, and track range expansion. Patrols, wildlife-crime enforcement, and efforts to reduce illegal trade protect both leopards and their prey.
Cross-border habitat and prey recovery
Long-term recovery requires connected habitat across the Russia–China border and enough prey to support dispersing animals. This is an example of the difference between preserving one site and conserving a functioning landscape; see conservation vs. preservation for the broader framework.
How to interpret Amur leopard population numbers
- Check the source and date. A conservation organization, peer-reviewed paper, and news report may describe different survey periods.
- Check the geography. A figure may cover one park, one country, or the transboundary population.
- Separate wild and captive populations. Combining them produces a misleading total.
- Treat estimates as estimates. Camera traps improve detection, but no survey sees every animal.
Frequently asked questions
How many Amur leopards are left in the wild?
WWF’s public profile reports more than 84 individuals. The safest way to use that number is as a sourced minimum-style estimate, not an exact current census.
Is the Amur leopard still Critically Endangered?
Yes. WWF lists the Amur leopard as Critically Endangered. Recovery in part of its range is encouraging, but the population remains small and vulnerable.
What does an Amur leopard eat?
Its prey includes roe deer, sika deer, wild boar, hares, and other animals available in its forest habitat. Prey recovery is a central part of leopard conservation.
Are Amur leopards and Amur tigers the same animal?
No. They are different big cats that overlap in parts of the same landscape. The leopard is Panthera pardus orientalis; the Amur tiger is Panthera tigris tigris.
Sources and review notes
- World Wildlife Fund: Amur leopard species profile — status, reported population, habitat, threats, protected-area history, and conservation actions.
- IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group: Leopard — taxonomy, distribution, and the documented expansion of the Russia–China breeding range.
- CITES Appendices — international trade protection.