The Amur leopard is the most endangered big cat on Earth, with fewer than 120 individuals remaining in the wild across the Russian Far East and northeast China.
Amur leopards at such low population numbers face compounded welfare threats. Individuals in fragmented habitat must travel further to find mates and prey, expending more energy and facing greater road-crossing risks. Snare trapping — set for deer — incidentally catches leopards, causing injury or death. The psychological welfare of highly territorial solitary cats in heavily monitored protected areas is also relevant: frequent camera trap encounters and patrol activities, while necessary, must be managed to minimize disturbance. Zoo animals benefit from species-appropriate enrichment and large enclosures but remain behaviorally constrained compared to wild ranging needs.