Houdini
Panthera
pardus orientalis - Amur
Leopard
Houdini was donated to Cat Tales by
Randy Miller’s Predators in Action.
Houdini is a 6 year old Amur Leopard. As
his name applies, leopards are advanced thinking cats,
which if not challenged (just like
gifted children) they will look to the outside of their daily life for
“inspiration”.
Houdini is a talented cat that enjoys
the “girl next door” as well as keeper attention.
Amur leopards, called Far Eastern
Leopards in Russia, are one of the rarest subspecies in nature.
Easily identified by their very large,
thickly bordered circular markings as well as rosettes,
Amur leopards have extremely long hair
in response to the cold climate they inhabit.
Originally found in Manchuria, the
Korean peninsula and the Russian Far East, the last recorded specimen
in South Korea was captured in 1969.
Recent field studies the Russian Far East (2001)
suggest a population of 40 animals, and
similar studies in North Korea (1998)
suggest no more than 10 leopards remain
there. The population living in two adjacent provinces of China
numbers only 10 to 15 more. (Total
60-65) The status of this race is Critically
Endangered.
As of July, 2002, the captive population
worldwide was 222 leopards.
RETURN TO
ADOPTION PAGE
l