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Leopards are present in the [[Talysh Mountains]] in the farsoutheast, where their habitat is continuous with that on the Iranian side of Talysh Mountains. They also survived in northwest Azerbaijan in the Akhar-Bakhar section of [[Ilisu State Reserve]] in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus until recently, but current numbers are extremely low.<ref name="wwf2007">WWF (2007) [http://assets.panda.org/downloads/caucasus_leopard_conservation_strategy_1.pdf ''Strategy for the Conservation of the Leopard in the Caucasus Ecoregion'']. Strategic Planning Workshop on Leopard Conservation in the Caucasus. Tbilisi, Georgia, 30 May – 1 June 2007</ref>
Leopards are present in the [[Talysh Mountains]] in the farsoutheast, where their habitat is continuous with that on the Iranian side of Talysh Mountains. They also survived in northwest Azerbaijan in the Akhar-Bakhar section of [[Ilisu State Reserve]] in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus until recently, but current numbers are extremely low.<ref name="wwf2007">WWF (2007) [http://assets.panda.org/downloads/caucasus_leopard_conservation_strategy_1.pdf ''Strategy for the Conservation of the Leopard in the Caucasus Ecoregion'']. Strategic Planning Workshop on Leopard Conservation in the Caucasus. Tbilisi, Georgia, 30 May – 1 June 2007</ref>


Despite occasional sightings, it was not clear whether leopards had been extinct in Azerbaijan by the late 1990s, until a specimen was [[Camera trap|camera-trapped]] in March 2007 in the [[Hirkan National Park]].<ref>[http://news.day.az/society/73546.html WWF Baku Office Rep Managed to Catch a Leopard on Camera]. ''Day.az''. 14 March 2007.</ref>
Despite occasional sightings, it was not clear whether leopards had been extinct in Azerbaijan by the late 1990s, until a specimen was [[Camera trap|camera-trapped]] in March 2007 in the [[Hirkan National Park]].<ref>Бабаева, З. (2007). [http://news.day.az/society/73546.html ''Представителю Бакинского офиса Всемирного Фонда охраны дикой природы удалось впервые сфотографировать в Азербайджане живого леопарда'']. Day.Az, 14 March 2007. (In Russian. English translation: ''According to the Representative of the WWF Baku Office it was possible for the first time to photograph a leopard in Azerbaijan''.</ref>


===In Georgia===
===In Georgia===

Revision as of 20:12, 25 January 2012

Persian leopard
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Carnivora
Family:
Felidae
Genus:
Panthera
Species:
P. pardus
Subspecies:
P. p. ciscaucasica
Trinomial name
Panthera pardus ciscaucasica
Satunin, 1914

The Persian leopard (Panthera pardus ciscaucasica), also called Caucasian leopard, is the largest leopard subspecies, and is native to eastern Turkey, the Caucasus mountains, northern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, and parts of western Afghanistan. It is endangered throughout its range with fewer than 871–1,290 mature individuals and a declining population trend.[1]

Characteristics

The Persian leopard is large, weighing up to 60 kg (130 lb), and light in color.[2]

Biometric data collected from 25 female and male individuals in various provinces of Iran indicates average body length of 259 cm (102 in). A young male from northern Iran weighed 64 kg (141 lb).[3]

Distribution and habitat

There has been a huge decline in the former range of the leopard in the Caucasus, which is estimated to have once covered the whole region, except for steppe areas. The severe economic crisis following major political and social changes in 1992 in the former Soviet Union, together with a weakening of formerly effective protection systems resulted in a sharp rise in hunting of wild ungulates, persecution of leopards and fragmentation of the ranges of all wildlife.[4] As of 2008, of the estimated 871-1,290 mature leopards

Their habitat consists of subalpine meadows, broadleaved forests and rugged ravines from 600–3,800 metres (2,000–12,500 ft) in the Greater Caucasus, and rocky slopes, mountain steppes, and sparse juniper forests in the Lesser Caucasus and Iran.[4] Only some small and isolated populations remain in the whole ecoregion. Suitable habitat in each range country is limited and most often situated in remote border areas. Local populations depend on immigration from source populations in the south, mainly in Iran.[6]

The Persian leopard is a flag-ship species. Its presence is a sign of the health of the entire ecosystem.

In Armenia

In Armenia, people and leopards co-existed since the early Holocene. By the mid-20th century leopards were relatively common in the country's mountains.[7] Today, the leopard stronghold is the rugged and cliffy terrain of Khosrov Reserve, located south-east of Yerevan on the south-western slopes of the Geghama mountains, where between October 2000 to July 2002 tracks of no more than 10 individuals were found in an area of 780 km2 (300 sq mi).[8] Leopards were known to live on the Meghri Ridge in the extreme south of Armenia, where only one individual was camera-trapped between August 2006 to April 2007, and no signs of other leopards were found during track surveys conducted over an area of 296.9 km2 (114.6 sq mi). The local prey base could support 4–10 individuals, but poaching and disturbance caused by livestock breeding, gathering of edible plants and mushrooms, deforestation and human-induced wild fires are so high that they exceed the tolerance limits of leopards.[9]

In Azerbaijan

Leopards are present in the Talysh Mountains in the farsoutheast, where their habitat is continuous with that on the Iranian side of Talysh Mountains. They also survived in northwest Azerbaijan in the Akhar-Bakhar section of Ilisu State Reserve in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus until recently, but current numbers are extremely low.[6]

Despite occasional sightings, it was not clear whether leopards had been extinct in Azerbaijan by the late 1990s, until a specimen was camera-trapped in March 2007 in the Hirkan National Park.[10]

In Georgia

Since 1954, leopards were thought to be extinct in Georgia — killed by hunters. In April 2001, an adult female was shot on the border to Kabardino-Balkaria, her two cubs captured and taken to the Novosibirsk Zoo in Russia.[11] In the winter of 2003, zoologists found footprints of a leopard in Vashlovani Reserve in southeastern Georgia and later camera-trapped one young male individual several times.[12] Leopard signs have also been found at two localities in Tusheti, the headwaters of the Andi Koisu and Assa rivers, bordering Dagestan.[6]

Over the last 60 years, there have been several sightings of leopards around the Tbilisi area and in the Shida Kartli province to the northwest of the capital. Leopards live primarily in dense forests, although several have been spotted in the lowland plains in the southeastern region of Kakheti in 2004.[citation needed]

In Iran

Leopards are mainly found in the Alborz and the Zagros mountain ranges. These ranges cover a vast area starting from the borders with Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia, extending to the Caspian litoral region and on to Turkmenistan and western parts of Afghanistan in the Alborz range. Along the Zagros range, leopard habitats extend to the south of Iran, close to the Persian Gulf.

Seventy four protected and non-protected areas were identified across the country in recent years as sites where leopards are present. However, 69% of them are located in the Hircanian forests and Alborz mountain range in the northern part of Iran. This area is regarded as one of the most important habitats for leopards in the country.[3][13] Even though studies revealed that leopards in Iran inhabit a wide range of temperatures ranging from −23 °C (−9 °F) to {{convert|49|C|F|abbr=on}, they are most often found in the habitats with temperature of 13 to 18 °C (55 to 64 °F), 0 to 20 days of ice cover per year and rain fall of more than 200 mm/year.[14]

In Bamu National Park located northeast of Shiraz in Fars Province, camera trapping carried out from autumn 2007 to spring 2008 revealed seven individuals in a sampling area of 321.12 km2 (123.99 sq mi).[15]

In the North Caucasus regions of Russia

Signs of leopard presence have been found in the upper Andiyskoe and Avarskoye Koisu rivers in Dagestan. According to local reports leopards may also occur in Ingushetia, Ossetia and Chechnya. Leopards no longer occur in the Western Caucasus.[6] In 2009, a leopard reintroduction centre was created in Sochi National Park, where two male leopards from Turkmenistan are being kept since September 2009, and two females from Iran since May 2010. Their descendants will be released into the wild in the Caucasus Biosphere Reserve.[16][17][18]

Ecology and behaviour

Leopards' diet varies depending on the habitat of their territory. Their principal prey is the most abundant ungulate such as Bezoar goat, roe deer, Goitered gazelle, West Caucasian tur, mouflons, urial, and wild boar. They also prey on smaller wildlife such as Crested porcupine and Cape hare, and occasionally attack livestock and herd dogs.[19][20]

Studies revealed that presence of leopards in Iran is highly correlated with presence of wild goat and wild sheep. Opportunistic predation on smaller prey species is also probable. Attack of a leopard individual on onager was also recorded.[21]

Threats

Persian leopards are threatened by poaching, depletion of their prey base due to poaching, human disturbance such as presence of military and training of troops in border areas, habitat loss due to deforestation, fire, agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and infrastructure development.[6]

In Iran, primary threats are habitat disturbances followed by illegal hunting and excess of livestock in the leopard habitats. The leopards' chances for survival outside protected areas appear very slim.[22] Intensive dry condition in wide areas of leopard habitats in recent years is affecting leopard main prey species such as wild goat and wild sheep.[23]

Conservation

Panthera pardus is listed in CITES Appendix I.[24]

In captivity

As of December 2011, there are 112 captive Persian leopards in zoos worldwide. Within the European Endangered Species Programme 48 male, 50 female and 5 unsexed individuals less than 12 months of age are kept.[25]

Taxonomic history

The Russian explorer Satunin first described the Caucasian leopard P.p. ciscaucasica in 1914 on the basis of a specimen from the Kuban region of North Caucasus.[26] The British zoologist Pocock described specimens from different areas of Persia as P. p. saxicolor in 1927, recognizing the similarity to P.p. ciscaucasica.[27] Today, these names are considered synonyms.[28]

References

  1. ^ a b c Template:IUCN
  2. ^ Lukarevsky, V., Malkhasyan, A., Askerov, E. (2007) Biology and ecology of the leopard in the Caucasus. Cat News 2: 4–8
  3. ^ a b Sanei, A. (2007) Analysis of leopard (Panthera pardus) status in Iran (No.1). Sepehr Publication Center, Tehran. Pp. 298 (In Persian)
  4. ^ a b Breitenmoser, Ch., Breitenmoser, U. (eds.) Status of the leopard in the Caucasus. Cat News Special Issue N° 2, May 2007.
  5. ^ Kiabi, B.H., Dareshouri, B.F., Ghaemi, R.A., Jahanshahi, M. (2002) Population status of the Persian leopard “(Panthera pardus saxicolor Pocock, 1927)” in Iran. Zoology in the Middle East 26: 41–47.
  6. ^ a b c d e WWF (2007) Strategy for the Conservation of the Leopard in the Caucasus Ecoregion. Strategic Planning Workshop on Leopard Conservation in the Caucasus. Tbilisi, Georgia, 30 May – 1 June 2007
  7. ^ Khorozyan, I. (2003) The Persian leopard in Armenia: research and conservation. Proceedings of Regional Scientific Conference “Wildlife Research and Conservation in South Caucasus”, 7–8 October 2003, Yerevan, Armenia: 161–163.
  8. ^ Khorozyan, I., Malkhasyan, A. (2002) Ecology of the leopard (Panthera pardus) in Khosrov Reserve, Armenia: implications for conservation. Scientific Reports of the Zoological Society “La Torbiera” 6: 1–41.
  9. ^ Khorozyan, I., Malkhazyan, A. G., Abramov, A. (2008) "Presence – absence surveys of prey and their use in predicting leopard (Panthera pardus) densities: a case study from Armenia." Integrative Zoology 2008, 3: 322–332.
  10. ^ Бабаева, З. (2007). Представителю Бакинского офиса Всемирного Фонда охраны дикой природы удалось впервые сфотографировать в Азербайджане живого леопарда. Day.Az, 14 March 2007. (In Russian. English translation: According to the Representative of the WWF Baku Office it was possible for the first time to photograph a leopard in Azerbaijan.
  11. ^ Khorozyan, I. G., Gennady, F., Baryshnikov, G. F. and Abramov, A. V. (2006) Taxonomic status of the leopard, Panthera pardus (Carnivora, Felidae) in the Caucasus and adjacent areas. Russian Journal of Theriology 5(1): 41–52.
  12. ^ Antelava, N. (2004) Lone leopard spotted in Georgia. BBC News, 25 May 2004
  13. ^ Sanei, A., Zakaria, M. (2008). Distribution of “Panthera pardus” in Iran in relation to its habitat and climate type. In: A.A. Saiful, A. Norhayati, M.O. Shuhaimi, A.K. Ahmad, and A.R. Zulfahmi (Eds.) “Third Regional symposium on environment and natural resources.” Universiti Kebangsan Malaysia, Malaysia
  14. ^ Sanei, A., Zakaria, M. (2011). Distribution pattern of the Persian leopard (“Panthera pardus saxicolor”) in Iran. Asia Life Sciences Supplement 7: 7–18.
  15. ^ Ghoddousi, A., Hamidi, A.Kh., Ghadirian, T., Ashayeri, D., Khorozyan, I. (2010) The status of the Endangered Persian leopard Panthera pardus saxicolor in Bamu National Park, Iran. Oryx 44 (4): 551–557. (Excerpts)
  16. ^ WWF (2009) Flying Turkmen leopards to bring species back to Caucasus. WWF, 23 September 2009
  17. ^ Sochi.Live (2010) Sochi welcomes leopards from Iran. Organizing Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi, 4 May 2010
  18. ^ Druzhinin, A. (2010) Iranian leopards make themselves at home in Russia's Sochi. RIA Novosti, 6 May 2010
  19. ^ Hamidi, A. H. K. (2008) Persian Leopard Ecology and Conservation in Bamu National Park, Iran. Cat Project of the Month – March 2008
  20. ^ Farhadinia, M.S., Nezami, B., Hosseini-Zavarei, F., Valizadeh, M. (2009). Persistence of Persian leopard in a buffer habitat in northeastern Iran. Cat News 51: 34–36.
  21. ^ Sanei, A., Zakaria, M., Hermidas, S. (2011). Prey composition in the Persian leopard distribution range in Iran. Asia Life Sciences Supplement 7: 19–30.
  22. ^ Sanei, A., Zakaria, M. (2009). Primary threats to Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Proceedings of the 8th International Annual Symposium on Sustainability Science and Management. 3-4 May 2009. Diterbitkan Oleh, Terengganu, Malaysia
  23. ^ Sanei, A., Zakaria, M. (2011) Survival of the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) in Iran: Primary threats and human-leopard conflicts. Asia Life Sciences Supplement 7: 31–39.
  24. ^ Template:IUCN
  25. ^ International Species Information System (2011). "ISIS Species Holdings: Panthera pardus saxicolor, December 2011".
  26. ^ Satunin, K. A. (1914) Key of the Mammals of the Russian Empire. Vol. 1: Chiroptera, Insectivora and Carnivora. Tipografīi︠a︡ Kant︠s︡eli︠a︡rīi nami︠e︡stnika E.I.V. na Kavkazi︠e︡ , Tiflis. (in Russian)
  27. ^ Pocock, R. I. (1927) Description of two subspecies of leopards. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 9 (20): 213–214.
  28. ^ Khorozyan, I. G., Gennady, F., Baryshnikov, G. F., Abramov, A. V. (2006) Taxonomic status of the leopard, Panthera pardus (Carnivora, Felidae) in the Caucasus and adjacent areas. Russian Journal of Theriology 5(1): 41–52.

Further reading

External links

Wikispecies has information related to Panthera pardus saxicolor.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Panthera pardus saxicolor.

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