The critically endangered big cat native to the Amur region of Russia and China is the Amur leopard.
The Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is a rare leopard subspecies found mainly in Primorye in southeastern Russia and nearby northeastern China. Its cold-climate range has shaped adaptations such as a thick winter coat and relatively long legs that help it move through snow.
The subspecies suffered from poaching, habitat loss, forest fires, declining prey, and road construction. Its population became so small that in 2007 only about 19–26 wild animals were estimated to remain. Camera-trapping later recorded more individuals, and conservation efforts have focused on protected areas and cooperation across the Russia–China border.
A common mix-up is confusing it with the snow leopard or Siberian tiger. The Amur leopard is a leopard, not a separate species of tiger, and its rosetted coat distinguishes it from the tiger’s stripes. It is also called the Far Eastern leopard or Siberian leopard.