Threat of extinction ‘over’ as Kremlin confirms rarest big cats in world pass key milestone

They are the comeback cats. 

Two decades ago the Amur leopards (also called Siberian or Far Eastern leopards) were not only on the brink of extinction: they had appeared to pass the point of no return for the species. 

Only 30 lived in the wild. The cats had been denuded by hunting and poaching.

Now, as The Siberian Times reported in April, President Vladimir Putin’s environmental protection tsar, Sergei Ivanov, the former defence minister and deputy premier, has announced they have reached the hundred mark. 

They proof? They’ve even spotted (sorry!) by camera traps.

Each leopards spots are unique, so scientists can be sure the count if accurate. 

And among the sightings are young cubs, a good omen for the future.

‘Five to seven years of work led to the main result,’ he said on a visit to the Land of the Leopard national park in Primorsky region which has been crucial to their survival.

‘Now there is no threat that the leopard…will become extinct. 

'When there were 30 of them, that was close to the red line, very close.

'There is around 100 of them now - although it's still a small number.’

Some 300 more living in zoos around the world, but for the species future it is crucial that they remain in their natural habitat. 

'There are around 300 Far Eastern leopards living in zoos across the world, and only around 100 living in the wild.

'My dream is for it be the other way around.’

Ivanov noted that there is not enough land for all the leopards the reserve which currently covers 262,000 hectares - so an extension is now on the agenda.

'It often happens so that when you sort out one problem, you face another.

'Very soon there won't be enough space for the leopard population in the national reserve.

'So the allocation of new territories in Primorsky region - where the leopards lived historically - is now on the agenda.’

Russian and international companies are joining the efforts to protect the rare feline, allowing investment in the development of the national reserve.

Plans will extend the reserve to the south, it is understood. 

In April, we revealed that there were 84 adult Amur leopards in the wild. 

In addition, there seven adolescent big cats and 12 cubs had been seen. 

This took the total to 103. 

The images from some 400 automatic cameras have been used to garner the details on the species’ climb back from oblivion.

Reserve experts hailed it as ‘the most important news of the year’.

The landmark is a success  for united action by animal campaigners and Russian government to save the species from poachers.