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What the sources say

Amur LeopardPanthera pardus orientalis

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Amur Leopard profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 59 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

WildCats Conservation Alliance

Amur leopard facts. WildCats Conservation Alliance.

The page saysThe rarest big cat in the world
The source saysAmur leopard facts / The rarest big cat in the worldNote: Tagline and heading. WildCats' own page heading.
The page saysfur up to three inches long in winter
The source saysthick fur which grows up to 7.5 cm long in winterNote: 3 inches, from 7.5 cm
The page saysliving alone in the forests of the Russian Far East and northeast China
The source saysAmur leopards live in the temperate forests Russian Far East and Northeast China
The page saysTemperate forests of southwest Primorye in the Russian Far East and along the border in northeast China
The source saysAmur leopards live in the temperate forests Russian Far East and Northeast China ... They are found in Southwest Primorye in the Russian Far East, and along the Russian border with Heilongjiang Province and Jilin Province in North East China.
The page saysRoe deer, sika deer, wild boar, musk deer, hares, badgers, and small mammals and birds
The source saysAmur leopards hunt a very wide variety of animals including wild boar, roe deer, sika deer, badgers and hares.
The page saysThick fur that grows up to 7.5 centimeters long in winter
The source saysthick fur which grows up to 7.5 cm long in winter
The page saysa census taken in 2017 suggested there were around 100 individuals
The source saysthe latest population census taken in 2017 suggests there are now around 100 individuals
The page saysThe Amur leopard is only found in the Russian Far East and North East China
The source saysIt is only found in the Russian Far East and North East China
The page saysIts range shrank dramatically during the 20th century, mainly due to habitat loss and hunting, and as recently as the 1970s fewer than 30 were left in the wild
The source saysAs recently as the 1970s, their population in the wild had dwindled to fewer than 30 individuals ... This range shrank dramatically during the 20th century, due primarily to habitat loss and hunting.
The page saysIts main threats include poaching, forest fires and inbreeding
The source saysThe main threats to Amur leopards Poaching: ... Forest fires: ... Inbreeding:Note: WildCats' threats list also names Development; 'main threats' is its own heading.
The page saysIt lives in forests with harsh winters of extreme cold and deep snow, and it is adapted to the cold with thick fur that grows up to 7.5 centimeters long in winter
The source saysThe Amur leopard is adapted to the cool climate by having thick fur which grows up to 7.5 cm long in winter. ... Amur leopards live in the temperate forests Russian Far East and Northeast China, experiencing harsh winters with extreme cold and deep snow
The page saysFor camouflage in the snow, its coat is paler than other leopard subspecies' coats, and its rosettes are more widely spaced and larger than those of other leopards
The source saysFor camouflage in the snow, their coat is paler than other leopard subspecies. The Amur leopard's rosettes are widely spaced and larger than those seen on other leopards.
The page saysBuilt for Far Eastern Winters
The source saysAmur leopards live in the temperate forests Russian Far East and Northeast China, experiencing harsh winters with extreme cold and deep snowNote: Heading.
The page saysIt lives in temperate forests in the Russian Far East and northeast China, where winters bring extreme cold and deep snow
The source saysAmur leopards live in the temperate forests Russian Far East and Northeast China, experiencing harsh winters with extreme cold and deep snow
The page saysIt is adapted to that cold with thick fur that grows up to 7.5 centimeters long in winter
The source saysThe Amur leopard is adapted to the cool climate by having thick fur which grows up to 7.5 cm long in winter.
The page saysfor camouflage in the snow its coat is paler than other leopard subspecies' coats
The source saysFor camouflage in the snow, their coat is paler than other leopard subspecies.
The page saysare more widely spaced and larger than those of other leopards
The source saysThe Amur leopard's rosettes are widely spaced and larger than those seen on other leopards.
The page saysMales generally weigh 32 to 48 kilograms but can reach 75; females are smaller, at 25 to 43 kilograms
The source saysMales generally weigh 32-48 kg, but can weigh up to 75 kg. Females are smaller than the males at 25-43 kg.
The page saysIn the wild an Amur leopard lives 10 to 15 years, and it may reach 20 in captivity
The source saysIn the wild, leopards live for 10-15 years and they may reach 20 years in captivity.Note: Line sits in WildCats' Amur-leopard Biology/Longevity section; Brookfield's Amur page also lists Life Span 10 - 15 years.
The page saysAn Ambush With a 20-Foot Leap
The source saysambush them using a burst of energyNote: Heading.
The page saysAn Amur leopard normally hunts at night
The source saysAmur leopards normally hunt at night
The page saysIts prey includes roe deer, sika deer, wild boar, musk deer, hares and badgers
The source saysAmur leopards hunt a very wide variety of animals including wild boar, roe deer, sika deer, badgers and hares.
The page saysIt carries off and hides unfinished kills, sometimes up trees, so other predators do not take them
The source saysThey then carry and hide unfinished kills, sometimes up trees, so that they are not taken by other predators.
The page saysThe Amur leopard's range shrank dramatically during the 20th century, mainly due to habitat loss and hunting
The source saysThis range shrank dramatically during the 20th century, due primarily to habitat loss and hunting.
The page saysas recently as the 1970s fewer than 30 were left in the wild
The source saysAs recently as the 1970s, their population in the wild had dwindled to fewer than 30 individuals
The page saysA census taken in 2017 suggested there were around 100
The source saysthe latest population census taken in 2017 suggests there are now around 100 individuals
The page saysPoaching of leopards and their prey is a serious threat
The source saysPoaching of both leopards and prey species is a serious threat.
The page saysForest fires shrink their forest habitat and replace it with grassland that leopards prefer to avoid
The source saysForest fires: These are a direct threat to Amur leopards as they reduce the animals’ natural forest habitat, replacing it with grasslands that leopards prefer to avoid.
The page saysInbreeding, when close relatives breed, is a big concern after the population dwindled to a few dozen, and trail-camera photos have occasionally shown wild leopards with white paws and short tails that could reflect genetic mutation
The source saysInbreeding: With a population that dwindled to 35 individuals only a few decades ago, this is a big concern and occasional camera trap evidence of white paws and short tails have been seen in the wild population that could reflect genetic mutationNote: 'a few dozen' paraphrases the source's 35 individuals (it also gives fewer than 30 for the 1970s).
The page saysSeveral Russian reserves are home to the largest population, including Land of the Leopard National Park, created in 2012
The source saysIn Russia, several nature reserves are home to the largest population of Amur leopard including The Land of the Leopard National Park, gazetted in 2012
The page saysChina established the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park in 2021
The source saysThe Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park was established in 2021
The page saysIn zoos, a global breeding program held 217 Amur leopards across 88 institutions as of July 2018, a population that descends from 14 animals
The source saysAs of July 2018, the captive population under the Global Species Management Plan (GSMP) comprised 217 individuals housed across 88 institutions. This population, originating from 14 individuals
The page saysThe Rarest Big Cat in the World
The source saysAmur leopard facts / The rarest big cat in the worldNote: Heading.

Source
02

Brookfield Zoo Chicago

Amur Leopard. Brookfield Zoo Chicago.

The page saysliving alone in the forests of the Russian Far East and northeast China
The source saysThey live alone.
The page saysRoe deer, sika deer, wild boar, musk deer, hares, badgers, and small mammals and birds
The source saysTheir diet consists of roe deer, sika deer, wild boar, musk deer, elk, and small mammals and birds.
The page saysa leap of 20 feet across or 10 feet high
The source saysthey are able to leap 20 feet across and 10 feet high
The page saysAn Amur leopard can leap 20 feet across and 10 feet high
The source saysthey are able to leap 20 feet across and 10 feet high
The page saysIt stalks its prey carefully, trying to get as close as possible before it leaps, and its diet includes roe deer and sika deer
The source saysAmur leopards carefully stalk their prey, trying to get as close as possible before leaping. ... Their diet consists of roe deer, sika deer
The page saysis the northernmost subspecies of leopard
The source saysAmur leopards are the northernmost subspecies of leopard
The page saysAmur leopards often wrap their long tails around themselves to keep warm
The source saysAmur leopards often wrap their long tails around themselves to keep warm in the snowy mountains.
The page saysA male's body is 42 to 54 inches long, not counting the tail, and tails typically measure 32 to 35 inches
The source saysThe body length ranges from 42 to 54 inches for a male (not including tail) ... while tail length is typically 32-35 inches long.
The page saysAmur leopards live alone
The source saysThey live alone.
The page saysA female's territory covers about 15 to 40 square miles and a male's about 100 to 150, and they mark their areas with urine, droppings and scratch marks
The source saysFemales’ territories cover about 15–40 square miles, and males’ about 100–150. They mark their areas with urine, droppings, and scratch marks.
The page saysAn Ambush With a 20-Foot Leap
The source saysthey are able to leap 20 feet across and 10 feet highNote: Heading.
The page saysIts prey includes roe deer, sika deer, wild boar, musk deer, hares and badgers
The source saysTheir diet consists of roe deer, sika deer, wild boar, musk deer
The page saysIt stalks carefully, trying to get as close as possible before leaping, and it can leap 20 feet across and 10 feet high
The source saysthey are able to leap 20 feet across and 10 feet high ... Amur leopards carefully stalk their prey, trying to get as close as possible before leaping.
The page saysBecause it is active at night, its eyes reflect light in a way that produces a better image in low light, which lets it see about six times better than a person in the same light
The source saysSince they are nocturnal (active at night), their eyes have adapted to reflect light in a way that produces a better image in low light. This enables them to see approximately six times better than a human can in the same light.
The page saysIt is also a strong swimmer and climber
The source saysThey are strong swimmers and climbers.
The page saysBrookfield Zoo Chicago puts the Amur leopard's entire estimated range at only 965 square miles
The source saysTheir entire estimated range is only 965 square miles.Note: Current institution page (2026) preferred over the 2016 study's 8,100 km2 extant range, which the writer had used.
The page saysa cat that lives alone
The source saysThey live alone.Note: vibe.reason
The page saysstalks as close as it can before it leaps
The source saysAmur leopards carefully stalk their prey, trying to get as close as possible before leaping.Note: vibe.reason

Source
03

Jacobson et al. 2016

Jacobson et al. (2016). Leopard (Panthera pardus) status, distribution, and the research efforts across its range. PeerJ.

The page saysOne Patch Left
The source saysThe number of extant patches varied from one for P. p. orientalis to 53 for pardusNote: Blockquote lead-in.
The page saysA 2016 study of leopards across their range found that this subspecies had lost as much as 98 percent of its historic range
The source saysthree ( P. p. orientalis, nimr, and japonensis ) have each lost as much as 98% of their historic rangeNote: 2016 is the reference's publication year (Jacobson et al. 2016).
The page saysWhat remained was a single habitat patch with the lowest human population density of any leopard subspecies (6 people per square kilometer)
The source saysThe number of extant patches varied from one for P. p. orientalis to 53 for pardus ... P. p. orientalis had the lowest population density in extant range (6 people/km 2 ).

Source
04

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Leopard. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The page saysIts rosettes, the flower-shaped spots on a leopard's back
The source sayscovered with flower-shaped spots on their backs called rosettesNote: Species-wide definition of the term, stated of leopards generally.
The page saysconservation scientists identify individual leopards by their unique spot patterns in trail-camera photos
The source saysIn 2002, trail cameras were added to allow conservation scientists to identify individual leopards by their unique spot patternsNote: SDZ paragraph on the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance's monitoring of Amur leopards.

Source
05

Jackson & Nowell 2008

Jackson & Nowell (2008). Panthera pardus ssp. orientalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T15957A5333757.

The page saysCritically Endangered
The source saysCritically Endangered C2a(ii); DNote: iucnredlist.org refuses scripts; read by hand in Chrome 2026-09-16, assessed 30 June 2008, annotation "Needs updating". Crossref lists no newer assessment for taxon 15957 and GBIF has no category for it, so verify:quotes cannot confirm this automatically (reported as a hand check). Do not confuse with the 2023 species-wide Panthera pardus assessment (Vulnerable), which is a different taxon.

Source
06

Parchizadeh & Belant 2021

Parchizadeh & Belant (2021). Brown bear and Persian leopard attacks on humans in Iran. PLOS ONE.

The page saysdangerLevel: Deadly
The source saysleopard incidents resulted in 97% ( n = 30) injuries and 3% ( n = 1) fatalitiesNote: Species-level (Persian leopard, Iran): no cached Amur-specific source mentions people. The tier is a capability, and a leopard attack killed a person.
The page saysdangerLevel: Deadly
The source saysleopards attack humans as a defensive reaction when wounded, trapped, or cornered, with mauling much more common than death

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.