There are a number of ways humans have had an influence to the Amur leopards "critically endangered" status. The following are the most influential of the human populations activities on the Amur population.
HUNTING/POACHING
One of the most influential thing on the Amur leopards population is the hunting and poaching of these leopards for their beautiful, spotted fur. In 1999, skins of poached Amur leopards were offered for $500–1,000 near a protected area in Russia (Amur leopard. (n.d.)). Between February 2002 and April 2003 six Amur leopard skins were confiscated and between the years of 2007 and 2012 there have been 4 reported cases of Amur leopard being shot dead (Poaching (n.d.)). With hunting like this the Amur leopards population of about 57 can not withstand it for much longer. Surrounding the forests where the leopard lives is agriculture and villages. Since the villages are so much closer to where the Amur leopards live this makes the forests much more accessible, which makes poaching a bigger problem then elsewhere (Amur leopard. (n.d.)). |
FOREST DEGRADATION
Human induced fires are a main threat to the survival of the Amur leopard. Setting fire to fields is a habit of rural farmers who start them for a particular purpose such as improving fertility for livestock grazing, killing ticks, and many other reasons (Forest fires. (n.d.)). Surveys using satellite images and GIS techniques revealed that on average 19% of south-west Primorye burns annually, and a total of 46% burned at least once in six years.These frequent fires cause degradation of suitable leopard habitat into unsuitable habitat. Repeated fires have created open "savannah" landscapes with grass, oak bushes and isolated trees that leopards seem to avoid (The Far Eastern Leopard: Conservation Threats. (n.d.)). According to WWF Panda ("Amur Leopard, " n.d.), approximately 80% of Amur Leopard territory has disappeared within the last 13 years due to logging, forest fires, and conversion of land for farming. WWF UK ("Amur Leopard," n.d.) has suggested that these forest fires affect 20% of the Amur Habitat each year. |
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
The leopards survival has been seriously threatened after a number of plans for economic activities in south-west Primorye were developed. In the past plans to build an oil pipeline from central Siberia through Primorye to the coast of the Sea of Japan have been put aside. Due to the pressures from environmentalists and the Ministry of Natural Resources plans for an open pit coal mine in the heart of the leopard range was not carried out. The strategic location of south-west Primorye, close to the main population centres of Primorski Krai, the Japanese Sea and the borders of Korea and China, makes it more attractive for economic activities including transport, industries, tourism and development of infrastructure. The use of the road network established for the transport of logs from forests increases anthropogenic pressures in unprotected leopard habitat, so this makes logging not a major threat to leopards. (Amur Leopard - Threats - Development Projects. (n.d.)). |