Ussuri, a male Amur leopard Panthera pardus orientalis, in the Children's Zoo at Franklin Park Zoo.
The Amur leopard is the most endangered subspecies of big cat in the world. Fewer than thirty survive in their native range in the eastern boreal forests on the border of China and Russia. According to
Zookeeper's Journal, 169 additional Amur leopards live in captivity around the world. Unlike leopards in Africa and India, Amur leopards are adapted to cold and snowy conditions. They live alongside Amur (or "Siberian") tigers, the largest cat subspecies; the presence of the tigers does not negatively impact the leopards, and
conservation efforts are geared toward protecting both cat species and their habitats.
Ussuri appeared in this journal earlier
here.