You’d probably like all these interesting amur leopard facts for kids. The Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is mainly found in the southeast Russia and northeast China. It is not only the rarest of all leopards—the amur leopard is the world’s most endangered cat. They are also called Far Eastern Leopard. Get to know all about amur leopard.
Amur Leopard Facts for Kids
Amur leopards live in harsh weather conditions which is why they are insulated by dense coat. The coat is all covered with black rosettes. The length of the guard hairs is about 25 mm. The coat is pale or cream in color. During winter the leopard turns to golden or yellow.
Adult males grow 107 – 136 cm in length with a tail measuring at 82 – 90 cm. Amur leopards stand 64 – 78 cm high at the shoulder. Males weigh 71 – 106 pounds while females average 55 – 94 pounds.
Unlike most
other leopards, the amur leopard has comparatively longer limbs—probably an adaptation to walk on snow with ease.
Where do Amur Leopards Live? Leopards make habitats in the temperate forests. The amur leopard lives in mountains of Korean Peninsula and northeaster China.
They are mostly most active between sunset and sunrise. Amur leopards begin to hunt at dusk. They will spend much of their daylight hours in thickets or caves. Outside the breeding season, the leopards are solitary.
What do Amur Leopards Eat? Amur leopards largely prey on ungulates including musk deer, wild pig, moose, roe deer, sika deer, and Manchurian wapiti. They will also consume mice, badger, fowl, and hare. Amur leopards are strong enough to take down prey as large as young Eurasian black bear.
Amur Leopard Speed: Amur leopards are able to achieve speeds of 37 miles per hour. They can cover a distance of 19 feet in a horizontal stride.
Leopards attain maturity at 2 – 3 years of age. The female gives birth to 1 – 4 cubs after a gestation period of 90 – 105 days. The cubs weigh up to 700 grams at birth.
In captivity, amur leopards have a lifespan of about 20 years. The lifespan in the wild is probably 12 – 15 years.
Amur leopards have lost much of its former range due to poaching, inbreeding, deforestation, and forest fires. It is a critically endangered species. There are only 35 amur leopards remaining in the Russian Far East.
