There Are 9 Species of Leopard

Do you know what the rarest cat in the world is?

It’s the Amur Leopard!

They are considered to be critically endangered now and were originally listed as vulnerable in 1986.^{1, 2, & 3}

Leopards are part of the Felidae family and there are nine subspecies of leopard (such as Amur Leopards or Snow Leopards). Each species of leopard has its own unique fur coat, and the colors will vary depending on where they live. The spots on their fur are called rosettes.¹

Amur Leopards tend to be hunted down because of their fur, but they also are threatened by logging and oil industries and humans hunting their prey sources, like deer or hare.^3&4 Both their own population numbers and that of their prey need to recover for Amur Leopards to stand a chance.³

Leopard species can be found in a variety of different habitats, from deserts to rainforests.^1&2 They usually are about 5-7 feet in length and can weigh up to 140 pounds.¹ Amur Leopards tend to live in forests and are well adapted to the cold climate they can experience in the Russian Far East. In fact, their fur can grow to be almost three inches long in colder months.⁴

All cats are considered to be obligate carnivores, meaning they have to eat meat in order to survive. Read more about obligate carnivores here!