Target: Vladimir Putin, President of Russia
Goal: Ensure the safety and preservation of the critically endangered Amur leopard.
With an estimated 30 individuals left in the wild, Russia’s Amur leopard is the world’s most endangered big cat. Unlike the other subspecies of leopards, the majority of which are found in lower elevations like the savannas of Africa, the Amur leopard calls the far eastern border of Russia (shared with China) home. Yet while this small and remote region is known as Leopardovy—a name that roughly translates to “Land of the Leopard”—the area may soon be without the animal that grants it its fame.
In order to accommodate for this higher elevation and colder environment, the Amur leopard must replace its summertime one-inch fur pelt with one that is three inches thick every winter. The fur’s paler hue and distinctive pattern, characterized by thick-bordered circles set more widely apart than its African counterpart, make the animal a prize among poachers in the region who could use the extra income.
Even as conservation groups, like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), work to maintain sustainable numbers of Amur leopards, there is still plenty of work that needs to (and can) be done. Already through their efforts, the WWF has seen the Amur leopard population jump dramatically from 2011, when an estimated 8 leopards were considered to be living. But with human settlements surrounding the animal’s habitat a present danger, the WWF continues their work by encouraging the Russian government to “extend the existing protected areas and link them with corridors to allow the leopards to roam more freely so that they can breed and feed” all while at the same time restricting forests fires, so as to restore “habitat for the leopards and their prey.”
Dear Mr. Putin,
Right now, on the remote region that occupies the eastern Russian border, the Amur leopard is currently defying odds and taking a step back from the brink of extinction. Whereas one year ago, the leopard population was thought to have numbered around eight individuals, today approximately 30 animals are believed to be surviving in the Russian landscape.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of conservation groups like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the critically endangered Amur leopard is once again being able to land on its feet. However, now more than ever, efforts to protect these unique animals must not be dampened. In order to ensure the longevity and prosperity of the Amur leopard, protected areas must be expanded so as to better encompass the animal’s range, as well as its hunting and breeding grounds. In doing so, the population of Amur leopards in the region will have a much higher chance of reaching the numbers that are sustainable and necessary for their survival.
[Your name will go here]