China seeks Russian help to build borderland Amur leopard sanctuary

VLADIVOSTOK, February 2. /TASS/. Chinese conservationists are looking for Russian help in setting up a borderland sanctuary of their own to protect the world's rarest feline, the endangered Amur leopard. Leopard Land national park in Russia's Far East is being asked to help drive a five-year project to create a territory for securing the future of a species threatened with extinction. Russia opened Leopard Land's 262,000-hectare animal park in 2012 to protect wildlife including the Amur leopard, whose population, now starting to build for the future, has grown from 35 to 80 over three years. The animals freely cross the Russian-Chinese border and need protection on both sides, preservationists told TASS. "Chinese experts positively assessed Leopard Land activity so they will visit the park to become acquainted with our work and gain experience," said park chief Tatiana Baranovskaya. Read more