Crowns
Amur leopard snarling. Captive animal.
Amur leopard, only 33 are left in the wild, more precious than its weight in 24 karat gold!
The AMUR leopard is rarely found in cold or high-elevation environments and is best known in its more familiar home in the savannas of Africa, where populations are relatively stable. However, in the northernmost part of its range, a rare subspecies of this cat lives in the temperate forests and harsh winters of the Russian Far East. This is the Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis), also known as the Far East leopard, the Manchurian leopard or the Korean leopard. IUCN’s 2000 Red List of Threatened Species classifies the subspecies as Critically Endangered, and the CITES has listed it on Appendix I.
In 1998, the Russian government adopted a strategy for the conservation of the Amur leopard. WWF is supporting anti-poaching activities in the Barsovy wildlife refuge, as well within the whole leopard habitat in the Russian Far East. The organization is also implementing programmes to stop the traffic in Amur leopard parts and to increase the population of prey ungulate (hoofed) species in the leopard’s habitat. WWF staff are also monitoring the leopard population and its habitat.
The Amur leopard has some very distinguishing features. The hairs of its summer pelt are 2.5 cm long but in winter they are replaced by 7 cm long ones. Apart from its long winter coat, the Amur leopard is easily told apart from other leopard subspecies by its widely spaced rosettes with thick borders. It also has longer legs, probably an adaptation for walking through snow. The Amur leopard is habitually nocturnal and solitary. Nimble-footed and strong, it carries and hides unfinished kills so that they are not taken by other predators. Adult males: 32-48 kg, exceptionally large males weigh up to 75 kg. Females: 25-43 kg. Light colour in the winter, more reddish-yellow in the summer.
Major habitat type: Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests
Range States: Russia, China, probably North Korea
Geographical Location: South of the Far East-Primorskii region (Russian Far East), Tzilin, Heilundzyan Provinces (Northern China).
Ecological Region: Russian Far East Temperate Forests
Interesting Fact: The Amur leopard has been reported to leap more than 6 m horizontally and more than 3 m vertically.
Fewer than 40 left in the wild
Taken w/Nikon D2Xs, Nikkor 300/4 AFS-I
Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
Jeff Burns
awesome shot this is Brilliant
WOW is this great Mundy
Brian Puhl IPA
I really wonder how many cats you’ve pissed off for shots like these!!! I think I must recommend you get some longer glass to keep your distance :)
Carisma
This is a GREAT one!!! So close and personal!
Mundy Hackett
Thanks Jeff and Brian. Oddly enough this cat was anything but pissed off. I was standing next to the keeper who was jingling his keys and eliciting a response. Apparently it is common at zoos for the carnivores to be responsive to the jingling keys of the keeper as a sign they are about to be fed. I tried it later with my own keys to no avail! This fella was no dummy. And I was only using a 300/4 telephoto lens, but the way the exhibit was designed I was shooting through wire mesh from about 7 feet away, it was awesome! I could literally hear the big cats breath, so cool!
Mundy Hackett
Thank you CarismA!
andygibb
As ever another stunning inspirational piece…brilliant shot
Kathleen Struckle
Great capture!!
Sheilz
Amazing shot. Awesome in fact.
HenkStolk
Fantastic professional shot
TrEaSuReDiMaGeS
Beautifully Captured Mundy, an OUTSTANDING shot…..... But he’s NOT a HAPPY camper lol :-)
Coralie Plozza
amazing…its obvious I need to get rich and buy a better camera..lol…love the unusual colour of his eyes…stunning
Lance Leopold
Awesome animal and capture!!!
GabrielK
top capture Mundy, very sharp, very scary
~ Selle
how cool is this shot!
Love his eyes!
he could use a toothbrush though ;)
John De Bord P...
This is amazing, talk about detail!
Al Bourassa
Fabulous shot!
Jennifer Woodward
Grrr! This is fab! Great capture, Mundy :-)
Carmen Cilliers
Wow, you have got this in ONE! He is fearsome, you have captured his essence beautifully.
Crockpot
NICE. Love the colors – they really pop!
stevenlove
Looks like he might need a good tooth brushing. :-))
Benjamin Young
Beautiful shot Mundy…..
Mundy Hackett
Thank you everyone. This male was very old, I can’t remember but I think he was older than 15 years old, so the wear and discoloration on his teeth was hard earned. This male died this past spring, so he is young again in spirit and chasing things in a better place.
Heather Rivet...
outstanding
Sara Lamond
Here kitty kitty – great job on this capture – very fierce!
John Davis
let me see ya grill, ya, ya, ya grill, great shot
Rany Lutz
Whoa!!!! Nice kitty…kitty….kitty….
Christophe Testi
Stunning!
Jen Whyte
I absolutely love the colour of the eyes … incredible … and those fangs!!!
Walter Colvin
Great photo Mundy. Very good.
dominiquelandau
amazing quality!!!!!!!!!
Patrick & Marg...
Excellent photo, well taken
Denzil
Wonderful detail – the teeth, the furry tongue, his whiskers, the wrinkled nose – I can almost feel his breath in the photo!
Andy Harris
stunning capture – so well done…!
Miss Misery
savage capture
Jeremy Harrington
absolutely stunning capture.. well done Mundy
Carlo Cesar Ro...
Picture perfect! Congrats and more power!
Jocelyn Hyers
Beautiful! The vividness and colours are amazing!
Cheryl Dunning
wow..look at those teeth!
Sean Farragher
wow time to back away,,,,lol fantastic
Michael J Armijo
Whoa…she needs some COLGATE. Those fangs look like an OUCH. Excellent portrait!
Tiffany Dryburgh
I love his crinkley nose!
ECGardner
Are you sure that’s a snarl? Maybe it’s just a friendly hello! lol Great timing and perfect capture, Mundy.
Dan Cahill
Excellent shot
Biswajit Pandey
Awesome!, superb details.
ApeArt
amazing!
Brenda Loveless
first of this breed I’ve seen…awesome…sure needs to have the teeth cleaned!!
sword
I have been looking through your amazing portfolio and i am very impressed to say the least .Coming from somone who is known for having no photographic abilty whatsoever,and who gets his wife to remove a tiny spider from the bathroom, It is high praise indeed.Great work
Lucindawind
wicked ! awesome shot !
Robyn Maynard
Ouch! I am so glad I am not the keeper! that looks like it will hurt :-/ Brilliant shot !!
Barb Leopold
fantastic work Mundy, but he needs a clean and polish on those fangs!!! LOL!
Globalphotos
Wow, amazing capture, wonderful clarity, perfect :)
Quigi
that’s one angry kitty. great shot!
Cherie Dirksen
Wonderful shot!
GailD
Top shot. Just fantastic. Into the favourites.
faizee
I love this shot !!!
jdmphotography
no other word really apart from simply awesome !! (-:
Forest Friends...
awesome! such sharp detail!
Lam Tran
Fantastic close up shot!
AngelPhotozzz
Wow georgous cat and he sure has attitude fantastic work!
Shannon Plummer
So sad he’s passed away but you’ve captured him wonderfully so his memory lives on!
WOLF
great image good looking cat
Kenny Gulley Jr.
wow
pinkyjain
So stunning & spectacular
coppertrees
splendid photography, sad to know they are almost gone
Siamesecat
Good on this Leopar5d for Snarling..
I would do the same if there was just as many of my idiot species left on earth, lol…
Love the Big cats, and you do it justice Mandy…
Jen Whyte
Wow! SENSATIONAL!
Tom Gomez
Fab shot, wonderful cropping …
photos40
You are so ….THE MASTER.!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wonderfully captured image.
BuddyH
fantastic!
Lam Tran
Beautiful capture!
sasha
Fierce capture
Sheila Smith
Wow this guy is awsome!!!!!!!!
Alan Rodmell
Outstanding shot
Squealia
Amazing capture of an amzing animal
Hollie Nass
Love this!! I think I voted 4 it on competico!!
Matsumoto
Great!!! Me and my cat are now seeking treatment!!!:-)
Robyn Carter
I seem to picking out all your work from the big cats group – another great shot :)
BarbBarcikKeith
Wow!! But.. I wonder if he/she is unhappy because there’s a dental appointment looming in the near future..
Really great shot!!!
Lance Leopold
Now that’s impact,love it!!!
amarica
Congratulations Mundy on being featured this week in The Exotic Animals Group. Well done.
Jennifer Darrow
love the detail, down to the tongue!
Fran0723
This is great!
Jan Cartwright
Perfection – you’ve immortalized this beautiful creature.
André Gonçalves
Congratulations on being featured in Animal group ;) excellent capture!
Paul Hamilton ...
wow-love this – magic work
Evita
Wonderful capture!!Congratulations on your feature!! :D
SueAnne
OH my goodness… What a face… Such a beautiful capture…
Fran0723
Excellent! Amazing capture!
dmarie
awww…great capture…beautiful cat…I would love to hug one, but I don’t think my outcome would be great…LOL… :-)
LeanderWiseman
this is a gorgeous image. i really love the color and detail :D
karenuk1969
Wow! Impressive shot!!
John Hooton
What a beautiful creature and so well photographed. Thanks also for the extensive information you have shared with us about this endangered cat. Truly informative both visually and textually.
PhotoFox
Awesome! Love the colours!
amarica
Congratulations on being featured in the Animal Photography group!!!
Cathie Brooker
I wish I could roar like your big cat and let off steam. What a fabulous mouth.
kellimays
awesome capture