Persian leopard

Appearance

The Persian leopard is large, weighing up to 90 kg , and light in color.

Biometric data collected from 25 female and male individuals in various provinces of Iran indicates average body length of 259 cm . A young male from northern Iran weighed 64 kg .

Distribution

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. As of 2008, of the estimated 871–1,290 mature leopards
⤷  550–850 live in Iran, which is the leopard stronghold in Southwest Asia;
⤷  about 200–300 survive in Afghanistan, where their status is poorly known;
⤷  about 78–90 live in Turkmenistan.
⤷  fewer than 10–13 survive in Armenia;
⤷  fewer than 10–13 survive in Azerbaijan;
⤷  fewer than 10 survive in the Russian North Caucasus;
⤷  fewer than 5 survive in Turkey;
⤷  fewer than 5 survive in Georgia;
⤷  about 3–4 survive in Nagorno-Karabakh;

The Persian leopards avoid deserts, areas with long-duration snow cover and areas that are near urban development. Their habitat consists of subalpine meadows, broadleaf forests and rugged ravines from 600–3,800 metres in the Greater Caucasus, and rocky slopes, mountain steppes, and sparse juniper forests in the Lesser Caucasus and Iran. 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.

Status

''Panthera pardus'' is listed in CITES Appendix I.
The Persian leopard is listed as "protected" in Iranian wildlife conservation law.

Behavior

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.

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.

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. As of 2008, of the estimated 871–1,290 mature leopards
⤷  550–850 live in Iran, which is the leopard stronghold in Southwest Asia;
⤷  about 200–300 survive in Afghanistan, where their status is poorly known;
⤷  about 78–90 live in Turkmenistan.
⤷  fewer than 10–13 survive in Armenia;
⤷  fewer than 10–13 survive in Azerbaijan;
⤷  fewer than 10 survive in the Russian North Caucasus;
⤷  fewer than 5 survive in Turkey;
⤷  fewer than 5 survive in Georgia;
⤷  about 3–4 survive in Nagorno-Karabakh;

The Persian leopards avoid deserts, areas with long-duration snow cover and areas that are near urban development. Their habitat consists of subalpine meadows, broadleaf forests and rugged ravines from 600–3,800 metres in the Greater Caucasus, and rocky slopes, mountain steppes, and sparse juniper forests in the Lesser Caucasus and Iran. 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.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.

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.

Predators

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.

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. 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.
Recent assessments on the Persian leopard mortality rate in Iran revealed that 70% of leopard mortalities from 2007-2011 were as a result of illegal hunting or poisoning and 18% were because of road accidents.

Evolution

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. The British zoologist Pocock described specimens from different areas of Persia as ''P. p. saxicolor'' in 1927, recognizing the similarity to ''P.p. ciscaucasica''. Today, these names are considered synonyms.