The Amur leopard stalks its prey slowly down the snow-covered mountainside while keeping an eye on it through the trees. 

One of the sika deer's few remaining food sources during the harsh Russian winter is tree bark, which it consumes in the clearing below. 

The leopard lowers its body into a crouch, its belly fur brushing the snow as it does so. It suddenly leaps forward and bounds, tackling the deer from a distance of ten feet. Dinnertime is here. 

Although most people picture leopards are stalking the African savannas, these spotted predators survive in various locations and environments. Mountainous woods in eastern Russia and northern China are home to Amur leopards. These cats, which got their name from the Amur River, are ideally suited to this harsh habitat. Their enormous, snowshoe-like paws enable them to travel on snow without sinking, and their silky, dense fur keeps them warm in the extreme cold. 

If they can't find larger game, they will eat mice and rabbits in addition to their preferred fare of deer and boar. Because they are so adept at sneaking up on victims, scientists frequently refer to Amur leopards as "silent killers."  Few people ever get to observe an Amur leopard in its natural habitat. Not surprisingly, given their rarity, but unfortunate nonetheless, given how stunning they are. They have enormous fuzzy tails they can wrap about themselves for warmth and thick, lush coats with black rings. The good news is that after being pushed to the brink of extinction, their numbers seem to increase due to conservation efforts. We are also better able to survey more regions and use video traps to track population changes than in the past. 

The Amur leopard is a nocturnal species that spends its time alone, hunting primarily in China's and Russia's enormous woods. 

The hairs on its distinctive coat can become up to 7 cm long during the severe winter. The Amur leopard's habitat has been increasingly devastated over time by unsustainable logging, forest fires, road construction, farming, industrial expansion, and relentless hunting. However, current research indicates conservation efforts are working, as the population has increased to at least 120 adults. However, the Amur leopard is still one of the rarest and most seriously endangered subspecies worldwide. 

Amur leopards avoid expansive grasslands and populated areas in favor of living in places with mixed Korean pine and deciduous forest. 

These days, they are only found in the northernmost parts of China, North Korea, and the Russian Far East. 

Fewer Amur leopards live in China, but most are in Russia. 

Their range is less than 2,500 sq km, or about the size of Dorset. 

Amur leopards are one of the most endangered wild cats on the planet and the rarest leopards in the entire globe due to habitat loss and hunting.

However, Amur leopards are coming back, partly because of a recently created national park along the Chinese and Russian borders. 

In 2018, there were roughly 80 Amur leopards, up from only about 30 in the early 2000s, thanks to the creation of the 647,400-acre refuge known as Land of the Leopard National Park in 2012. 

According to officials, the park's population will continue to rise with the support of efficient law enforcement. 

Therefore, it is hoped that additional leopard sightings will occur soon.