Land of the Leopard National Park is managed by the joint administration of the Kedrovaya Pad Biosphere Reserve and Land of the Leopard National Park (established on 21 May 2012). The national park was created by resolution of the Russian government on 5 April 2012.
Land of the Leopard National Park accounts for about 70 percent of the leopard’s natural habitat. Its critical mission is to save and preserve the Far Eastern leopard population. The decision to establish the park was truly historic: the world’s rarest wild cat, the Far Eastern leopard, can now live in safety on an area of nearly 2,800 square kilometres (to compare, Moscow has an area of 2,511 square kilometres).
Feeding grounds
Maintaining the Far Eastern leopard’s food sources (primarily hoofed animals) is one of the national park’s priorities. Feeding is especially important during times of abundant snowfall and low temperatures, when it is difficult for ungulates to procure food on their own. They burn most of their energy keeping their core temperatures up and traversing the thick snow. The feeding grounds provide them with a guaranteed food source.
Several kinds of fodder are usually available at feeding grounds: bulk grain (oats, barley, corn, wheat, soy and whole soy beans, as well as soy and fish meal), coarse fodder (dry grass – hay, soybean straw and twigs; Zostera marina, a species of seagrass with natural salt and essential nutrients); and succulent feeds (beetroot, carrots, cabbage and pumpkin).
Flora and fauna of Land of the Leopard
Land of the Leopard National Park is part of the mixed forests of Manchuria (present-day Primorye and Amur), also known as the Amur ecoregion. It is the only part of Russia other than the Caucasus that was not affected by the last glacial period, helping to preserve a diverse mix of flora and fauna. Ancient relic plants and species of tropical fauna abound here.
The big cats share their habitat both with typical "southerners" — spotted deer, Himalayan bears, Ussuri martens and raccoon dogs; and with "northerners" — boar, roe deer, badgers, musk deer and Siberian weasels. There are mighty cedars (Korean pine) and slender spruce, entwined with Actinidia vines. And it is the only place where you can see emerald Amur grapes winding around huge trees.
The national park is home to a diverse collection of flora and fauna.
