On October 27, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the creation of a federal-level Leopardovy (Leopard) Wildlife Refuge in the Russian Far East. This newly established protected area (PA) is to be founded on the basis of Barsovy and Borisovskoye Plateau wildlife refuges on the territory of Khasansky, Ussuriisky and Nadezhdensky districts of Primorsky krai. The refuge will reinforce the protection efforts to conserve endangered Amur leopard. Nowadays, the Amur leopard population is in the alarm condition due to poaching and habitat destruction. Up to date, Barsovy and Borisovskoye Plateau wildlife refuges were managed by different government agencies and that caused permanent complications blocking the realization of common conservation strategy.
Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve was administered by the Russian Academy of Sciences, Barsovy Wildlife Refuge was under the Ministry of Agriculture and Borisovskoye Plateau Wildlife Refuge - under Primorsky Krai Administration. Incidentally, none of these government agencies were responsible for conservation of rare and endangered species. In connection with that Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) proposed to transfer three existing protected areas under its authority.
According to the decree, Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve located in the Khasansky district will also subordinate to MNR. The Kedrovaya Pad reserve’s staff and budget appropriations stipulated for the reserve in 2008-2010 will be at the command of the Ministry of Natural Resources. MNR and Primorsky krai administration must take steps that are necessary for the creation of the new wildlife refuge and ensure a protection regime for Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve and Leopardovy Wildlife Refuge, i.e. prohibit any human activities that contradict to the goals and objectives of the protected areas.
In is supposed that the staff of Leopardovy Wildlife Refuge will consist of 50 employees, including 25 field inspectors and fire fighters.
Usually such reorganizations are accompanied with mismanagement. It would probably weaken the area protection and surge up poachers’ activities during the transition period. Therefore, the additional support from nature conservational NGOs and other law enforcement agencies is essential.
The Amur leopard is probably the rarest feline predator in the world with only about 30 animals left in the wild. The merge of the three PAs would create a new special protected territory for Amur leopard giving it a chance for survival.
