Everything about The Anatolian Leopard totally explained
The
Anatolian leopard (
Panthera pardus tulliana) was once described as a distinct
subspecies of
leopard native to
Anatolia (Asia Minor),
Turkey. However, modern taxonomic analyses have demonstrated that the leopards of Asia Minor genetically differ little from other west- and central Asian leopards and should therefore be included into the
Persian leopard (
Panthera pardus saxicolor) subspecies.
It is unknown whether any leopards still exist in the wild in Anatolia.
Distribution/Physical Features
These animals once prowled the forest and hill habits of the
Aegean,
Mediterranean, and East
Anatolian regions. Adults grow 200-250 centimeters long and may weigh up to 90 kg; their lifespan is approximately 20 years. In
Israel, there were Anatolian leopards until the
1980s, there were also some unconfirmed reports of encounters with leopards in the
Galilee, and the
Golan Heights.
Diet
In the wild, the leopard's prey consists of wild
ungulates, which include
deer,
chamois,
mountain goats, and occasionally
wild boar. The animal would also go after birds and domestic livestock, if needed.
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Sightings
The last official sighting of the Anatolian leopard was in
1974. The animal was killed after an attack on a woman in Bağözü village, Beypazarı 5 km from
Beypazarı. Although some scientists have suggested the subspecies has become extinct, others have suggested that there are still between 10-15 leopards in the wild. In 2001, the animal was spotted in the locality called "Dandi" near the town of
Mut in the
Taurus Mountains in Turkey's
Mediterranean Region, and around Muskili Brook on the eastern
Black Sea. In
2003 remote sensing cameras captured an adult male leopard in the
Vashlovani National Park in
Georgia . Another sighting was reported in 2004 in Pokut Plateau. In 2002 the team at the
Big Cat Rescue began an inventory expedition at an altitude of around 2000 meters. The expedition was started because photographer Cemal Gulas brought the team a photograph of a paw print which they determined to be that of a leopard. On the expedition, the team sighted a leopard but it evaded them before a photo could be taken. The next day, the team succeeded in photographing the leopard and confirmed its continued existence. It is, however, believed that there are only 10-15 members of this species left in the wild. Currently, the Anatolian Leopard Foundation is studying the animal's population on
Mount Taurus using trap cameras. Researcher Selim Guray and his group found some tracks in the forest, which can be observed at
this site.
Cause for Decline
It was thought that extensive trophy hunting was the prime factor in the decline and possible extinction of the Anatolian leopard. One hunter named Mantolu Hasan, singlehandedly killed at least fifteen of these animals, possibly as many as fifty .
Further Information
Get more info on 'Anatolian Leopard'.
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