A wild Amur leopard was found dead, apparently killed by an Amur tiger, in the northeastern region of China. (Photo: a screenshot from Baidu)
SHENYANG, Dec. 27 (Korea Bizwire) – A wild Amur leopard was found dead, apparently killed by an Amur tiger, in the northeastern region of China, local media outlets including Sohu News reported on December 25.
According to the reports, a netizen posted a video on December 23 showing the adult leopard lying lifeless in the snow, bleeding after an apparent attack by another wild animal, in Hunchun, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province.
The netizen noted, “The leopard had been sighted not far from where it was found dead about three days ago. It seems to have fallen prey to a larger and more ferocious wild animal.”
Local wildlife protection authorities, after investigating the scene, confirmed that the 50 kg leopard was indeed killed by a wild Amur tiger.
A local resident remarked, “In this area, two leopards had been living in their separate territories, dozens of kilometers apart. Now, only one remains.”
Mid-last month, an Amur tiger and the Amur leopard were successively spotted in a village in Bansi, Hunchun City. A tiger was first captured on CCTV, followed a week later by a leopard at the same location. Wildlife experts at the time deemed it unusual, as tigers and leopards, both territorial, rarely coexist in the same space.
Netizens, upon hearing about the leopard’s death, commented, “There can only be one king under the sky,” suggesting that the leopard’s encroachment into the tiger’s territory was a fatal mistake. Some argued, “This incident reflects the impact of winter food scarcity and shrinking habitats due to human development. We need stronger wildlife protection measures.”
The Amur leopard, along with the Amur tiger, is classified as an endangered species and is a national first-class protected animal in China. It’s estimated that around 60 individuals of each species inhabit the regions bordering North Korea and Russia in Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces.
In October 2021, China designated a 14,100 square kilometer area in Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces as a national park for the protection of the wild Amur tiger and leopard.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
