POSTCARD OF RUSSIA 2021 - EUROPA - Endangered national wildlife - Anatolian leopard (Persian leopard)

The Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges are home to the mighty Persian leopard, the largest and rarest of its kind. Smaller populations can be found in Afghanistan,Turkmenistan, Georgia, Turkey, and the Russian North Caucasus. Occasionally, the leopard has been spotted in Pakistan, and Uzbekistan.

One of the eight recognized subspecies of leopards, they have short legs and a powerful and stocky frame. Their coats, ranging in color from pale yellow to a deep gold, is uniquely patterned with black rosettes on the back, flanks, shoulders, and haunches, as well as black spots and blotches on the head, throat, chest and belly. The tail, measuring between 60 to 75 percent of the head and body length, is used extensively for maintaining balance. The skull is large in proportion to the rest of the body. Moreover they have developed a powerful jaw to take down larger prey.

This species enjoys a broad diet and has been known to adapt to fluctuations in availability of prey. Depending on where it roams, the leopard will adjust to what the land has to offer. In Iran, Armenia and Turkmenistan, for instance, they will mainly hunt bezoar goats, wild boar, and wild sheep. They will do so using vantage points such as trees and rocky outcrops to locate prey. Then, once the prey has been identified, they will stalk their target until they are near enough to pounce.

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