A tripartite agreement on the joint conservation of the Far Eastern leopard was concluded by the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, FGBU "Land of the Leopard" and ANO "Far Eastern Leopards". Signed within the framework of the International Tiger Forum, the document will be an important milestone in the history of the conservation and future reintroduction of the rare cat.
A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences is one of the leading biological research institutions in Russia. Among other things, he deals with animal ecology and develops recommendations for nature conservation. The Land of the Leopard Federal State Budgetary Institution preserves the only wild population of the Far Eastern leopard in the world with the support of ANO Far Eastern Leopards. Previously, organizations have repeatedly collaborated in the field of preserving the unique nature of southern Primorye, including the prevention of epizootics (epidemics in wild animals).
According to experts, the document signed within the framework of the II International Tiger Forum has become a milestone for the conservation of the Far Eastern leopard, providing for joint research and development of programs, including those aimed at further restoration of the population.
“Conservation of the Far Eastern leopard requires multifaceted efforts. Participation in this work of the Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, whose specialists have the best competences in the country in this field, will definitely bring the work on the study of a unique population to a new level,” says Elena Gangalo, Director General of ANO Far Eastern Leopards.
An important area of consolidated cooperation will be support for the planned work on the reintroduction of the Far Eastern leopard, including on the territory of the V.L. Komarov Ussuriysk State Nature Reserve (under the management of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Land of the Leopard"). In particular, it is expected that specialists from the Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences will prepare a program for the "settlement" of
new territories by leopards and will provide assistance at all stages of future work in this area.
A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS has been cooperating with the Land of the Leopard National Park for many years, we also had successful joint projects with ANO Far Eastern Leopards. The signed agreement will significantly improve the coordination of the parties in the implementation of ongoing projects, such as studying the spread of pathogens dangerous for the Amur leopard and the Amur tiger in the national park; assessment of the level of well-being of these predators. In addition, such an agreement will become the basis for the implementation of larger projects aimed at the conservation of the Far Eastern leopard,” said Sergey Naidenko, director of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
“For 10 years of work, Land of the Leopard managed to save the Far Eastern leopard from extinction and achieve an increase in its numbers. The next stage is the gradual reintroduction of one of the rarest cats in the world to the places of its historical range. This is a very complex and fragile process that requires highly specialized knowledge and skills. We are very pleased that the experienced professionals of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences will help us in this difficult but necessary task,” said Viktor Bardyuk, Director of the Land of the Leopard Federal State Budgetary Institution.
The II International Tiger Forum was held on September 5 as the first day of the Eastern Economic Forum on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University. A number of events within the framework of the Forum were dedicated to the conservation of the Far Eastern leopard, the world's rarest big cat.
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