|
Young World
Elusive cat
The Amur leopard, also known as the Far Eastern leopard, is believed to be the rarest big cat — only 30 are said to survive in the wild. So biologists from the Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, were understandably elated when they caught a 100-pound male leopard in mid-November. Seizing the opportunity to study this elusive cat, the scientists put the feline through a series of tests before releasing it back in the wild. A major concern for scientists studying these animals is whether such a tiny population is a viable one or whether they will be wiped out due to inbreeding and disease. "This capture represents a milestone in our cooperative efforts to save the Far Eastern leopard and Siberian tiger from extinction," said Dale Miquelle, director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Russia Programme. "With the information gained from these animals, and others to come, we will be in a much better position to determine appropriate conservation actions."
COMPILED BY R.KRITHIKA
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Young World
|
