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| Threats
to Leopard |
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Leopards
are threatened by a depleted wild ungulate prey
base in many areas - such as the Russian Far East
and are persecuted when they turn to livestock. |
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Domestic stock
has been found to be a major component of leopard diet
outside protected areas. According to one study leopards
living at the sharply-demarcated boundary of Chitwan NP,
and concluded that the availability of domestic livestock
allowed leopards to live at a higher density than could
be supported by wild prey. However, high juvenile and
adult mortality, coupled with suitable habitat left unoccupied
for extended periods after a resident’s death, indicated
that the leopard population was having a difficult time
maintaining its numbers due to persecution.
Illegal commercial hunting, for pelts and bones for traditional
medicine, is widespread in the region. While habitat loss
is still a significant threat, the leopard does well in
secondary growth, and is not as vulnerable as other felids
to forest clearance.
The Amur leopards of Russia are additionally threatened
by the small size of the population: father-daughter and
sibling matings have been observed on two occasions. The
average litter size (measured by tracks in snow) fell
from 1.75 in the winter of 1973, to 1.6-1.75 in the winter
of 1983, and to 1.0 in the winter of 1991. They point
out that it cannot be determined at present whether the
drop is due to genetic factors, such as a decline in fertility,
or is merely a demographic fluctuation. |
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