Leopards - Conservation
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Courtesy of
Cat Specialist Group ©
IUCN - The World Conservation Union
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Leopard cats are heavily persecuted. Skins of these animals are in high demand for making clothes. About 15 adult Leopard cats are killed to make one fur coat. About 200,000 pelts of Leopard cats are shipped from China annually. In some areas these animals are taken for food. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) strictly regulates international commerce in Leopard cats' products. In the wild, Leopards are the major predators for Leopard cats.
Some subspecies are rather numerous and wide spread while some are at the edge of extinction. There are only 100 Tsushima Leopard cats left. To protect this species, artificial insemination is sometimes used. Reintroduction of Leopard cats into the wild is often unsuccessful because they have to hunt on their own. Also such animals can pass diseases to wild species. These animals can be found in many zoos all over the world. They are also tolerant of deforestation and adapt easily to new environments.
Another problem with Leopard cats is that some breeders will cross a pure Leopard cat with domestic cats to improve their conformation and sell such crosses as "Bengal cats." It dilutes the gene pool of Leopard cats and removes potential breeding animals from conservation programs.
Leopards - Conservation Links
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Courtesy of
Cat Specialist Group ©
IUCN - The World Conservation Union
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Earth Crash. Endangered Species - Endangered Animal Species are used for food in China, Including threatened Giant Turtles, King Cobras, Masked-palm Civets, Leopard Cats, and others.
Feline Research Program - Leopard Cat Project - Ecology and survival of Leopard cats in Thailand.
The Scottish Big Cat Trust - Information on Leopard cats that were killed in Europe.
Wild Species. Leopard Cats - Basic facts on these animals and their principal threats.
Leopards - Breeders Links
Priderock Cats - A cattery raising Leopard and Bengal cats.
Bengal Cats - A breeder of Bengal cats - hybrids of Leopard and domestic cats - offers high quality animals for sale.
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Courtesy of
School of Computer Science © 2002
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Big Cat Rescue. Leopard Cat - Easy Street's Family of Amur Leopard Cats presents information on these animals that have been kept in the cattery.
Dan's Exotic Pets - Offering cats: Bengals, Asian Leopard Cat Hybrids, Jungle Cats, Jungle Hybrids, Servals, Savannahs, Albino Cats and gives advice on keeping them.
Leopard Cats Gallery - Many pictures of adult and babies Leopard cats and links to breeders.
Norcastle Bengals - Bengal Cat Breeders in England; photos of Bengal Cats and Asian Leopard Cats; buying advice.
Spotted Jungle - A cattery raising beautiful exotic cats that range from the Servil, Savannah, Asian Leopard and Bengal cat.
