Distribution and habitat Persian leopard

1 distribution , habitat

1.1 iran
1.2 iraq
1.3 russian caucasus
1.4 georgia
1.5 armenia
1.6 azerbaijan
1.7 turkmenistan
1.8 afghanistan
1.9 turkey

distribution , habitat

portrait a. n. komarov.

the persian leopard distributed on whole caucasus, except steppe areas. during surveys conducted between 2001 , 2005 no leopard recorded in western part of greater caucasus; survived @ few sites in eastern part. largest population survives in iran. political , social changes in former soviet union in 1992 caused severe economic crisis , weakening of formerly effective protection systems. ranges of wildlife severely fragmented. former leopard range declined enormously leopards persecuted , wild ungulates hunted. inadequate baseline data , lack of monitoring programmes make difficult evaluate declines of mammalian prey species.

as of 2008, of estimated 871–1,290 mature leopards:

550–850 live in iran, leopard stronghold in southwest asia;
about 200–300 survive in afghanistan, status poorly known;
about 78–90 live in turkmenistan;
fewer 10–13 survive in armenia;
fewer 10–13 survive in azerbaijan;
fewer 10 survive in russian north caucasus;
fewer 5 survive in turkey;
fewer 5 survive in georgia;
about 3–4 survive in nagorno-karabakh.

the persian leopard avoids areas long-duration snow cover , areas near urban development. habitat consists of subalpine meadows, broadleaf forests , rugged ravines 600–3,800 m (2,000–12,500 ft) in greater caucasus, , rocky slopes, mountain steppes, , sparse juniper forests in lesser caucasus , iran. small , isolated populations remain in whole ecoregion. suitable habitat in each range country limited , situated in remote border areas. local populations depend on immigration source populations in south, in iran.

iran

leopards more abundant in northern part of country. more 3,500 km (1,400 sq mi), central alborz protected area 1 of largest reserve in country leopards roam.

they present in 30 out of 31 provinces. during surveys conducted between 2002 , 2011, found in 74 protected , non-protected areas, of 69% located in northern iran. found in alborz , zagros mountain ranges , throughout northwestern region, crosses these mountain chains. hyrcanian forests located in north , along alborz mountain chain considered 1 of important habitats leopards in country. habitat comprises climates temperatures ranging −23 °c (−9 °f) 49 °c (120 °f), found in habitats temperatures of 13 18 °c (55 64 °f), maximum 20 days of ice cover per year , rainfall of more 200 mm per year. results of recent studies indicate leopard distribution across country in process of splitting northern , southern range.

in sarigol national park in northeastern iran, 4 leopard families 2 cubs each identified during survey carried out 2005 2008. male leopard photographed in january 2008 spraying urine on berberis tree; photographed several times until mid-february 2008 in same area. in bamu national park located northeast of shiraz in fars province, camera trapping carried out autumn 2007 spring 2008 revealed 7 individuals in sampling area of 321.12 km (123.99 sq mi).

iraq

in october 2011 , january 2012, leopard photographed camera-traps on jazhna mountain, located in zagros mountains forest steppe ecoregion in kurdistan, northern iraq. between 2001 , 2014, @ least 9 leopards killed local people in region.

russian caucasus

in april 2001, adult female shot on border kabardino-balkaria, 2 cubs captured , taken novosibirsk zoo in russia. during surveys in caucasus in 2007, presence of leopard confirmed, estimated population comprises less 50 individuals in region.

in north caucasus, signs of leopard presence have been found in upper andiyskoe , avarskoye koisu rivers in dagestan. in ingushetia, ossetia, , chechnya local people reported presence of leopards, no leopard known occur in western caucasus.

in 2016, 3 leopards released caucasus nature reserve in attempt reintroduce species in historical habitat. later year, russian ministry of natural resources , environment signed agreement azerbaijan on creation of trans-border reserve between tlyaratinsky district , zagatala state reserve aimed @ reintroduction of persian leopard in area.

georgia

a caucasus leopard taxidermy in georgian national museum, tbilisi

since 1954, leopards thought extinct in georgia — killed hunters. there have been several sightings of leopards around tbilisi area , in shida kartli province northwest of capital. leopards live in dense forests, although several have been spotted in lowland plains in southeastern region of kakheti in 2004. leopard signs have been found @ 2 localities in tusheti, headwaters of andi koisu , assa rivers bordering dagestan.

in winter of 2003, zoologists found footprints of leopard in vashlovani national park in southeastern georgia. camera traps recorded 1 young male individual several times. individual has not been recorded again between 2009 , 2014.

armenia

in armenia, people , leopards co-existed since prehistoric times. mid-20th century leopards relatively common in country s mountains. today, leopard stronghold rugged , cliffy terrain of khosrov state reserve, located south-east of yerevan on south-western slopes of geghama mountains, between october 2000 july 2002 tracks of no more 10 individuals found in area of 780 km (300 sq mi). leopards known live on meghri ridge in extreme south of armenia, 1 individual camera-trapped between august 2006 april 2007, , no signs of other leopards found during track surveys conducted on area of 296.9 km (114.6 sq mi). local prey base support 4–10 individuals, poaching , disturbance caused livestock breeding, gathering of edible plants , mushrooms, deforestation , human-induced wild fires high exceed tolerance limits of leopards.

during surveys in 2013–2014, camera traps recorded leopards in 24 locations in southern armenia, of 14 located in zangezur mountains.

azerbaijan

in 2001, hunting leopards banned in nakhchivan autonomous republic, , anti-poaching activities regularly conducted in southern armenia since 2003. since 2005, 7 protected areas have been established in lesser caucasus covering area of 1,940 km (750 sq mi), , 3 in talysh mountains area of 449 km (173 sq mi). total protected area in region amounts 4,245 km (1,639 sq mi). during surveys in 2013–2014, camera traps recorded leopards in 36 locations in region, in both zangezur , talysh mountains. 5 6 individuals identified on basis of fur pattern.

despite occasional sightings, not clear whether leopard had been extinct in azerbaijan late 1990s, until individual photographed camera trap in march 2007 in hirkan national park. leopards survived in northwestern azerbaijan in akhar-bakhar section of ilisu state reserve in foothills of greater caucasus until recently, current numbers thought extremely low. in october 2012, camera traps again recorded individual in hirkan national park. protected area located in talysh mountains in southeastern azerbaijan, contiguous alborz mountains in iran. during surveys in 2013–2014, camera traps recorded leopards in 5 locations in hirkan national park.

in september 2012, first picture of female leopard taken in zangezur national park close international border iran. in may 2013, female leopard recorded camera trap in zangezur national park displaying signs of territorial behaviour. prompted azerbaijani ministry of ecology , natural resources suggest increase in number of leopards in azerbaijan. during surveys in 2013–2014, camera traps recorded leopards in 7 locations in zangezur national park, including 2 different females , 1 male. sites close international border iran.

turkmenistan

leopards recorded camera-traps in badkhyz nature reserve in country s south-west.

afghanistan

in afghanistan, leopard thought inhabit central highlands, such hindu kush , wakhan corridor. photographic evidence presence of leopards in these areas not exist. 1 individual recorded camera-trap in bamyan province in 2011. long-lasting conflict in country badly affected both predator , prey species, national population considered small , severely threatened. between 2004 , 2007, total of 85 leopard skins seen being offered in markets of kabul.

turkey

the anatolian leopard (p. p. tulliana), called asia minor leopard, proposed in 19th century distinct leopard subspecies native southwestern turkey. whether leopards survived in area not sure. anatolian leopard subsumed persian leopard.

the first camera trap photograph of leopard in turkey obtained in september 2013 in trabzon province. in november 2013, leopard killed in Çınar district of diyarbakır province. specimen considered western-most observation of persian leopard.

between 2001 , 2013, @ least 3 leopards killed local people in south-eastern turkey.