World's Rarest Cat Is A Master Of Camouflage
By: EjazUlHaqBhat
Image: wwf.org
The Amur leopard, known for its unique spot patterns, is one of the world's most endangered and rarest cats
Image: wwf.org
The Amur leopard is a nocturnal animal that lives and hunts alone - mainly in the vast forests of Russia and China
Image: wwf.org
They have a paler coat than most subspecies of leopards, and large, dark, widely spaced rosettes with thick, unbroken rings
Image: wwf.org
During the harsh winter, the hairs of its unique coat can grow up to 7 cm long
Image: wwf.org
Camera trap analyses have shown that they move between Russia and China, so it's difficult to determine a total population estimate
Image: wwf.org
Amur leopards prefer to live in areas with mixed Korean pine and deciduous forest while avoiding open grasslands or populated areas
Image: wwf.org
They can climb trees, and are so well camouflaged that they sometimes can only be seen by the twitching of their tail
Image: wwf.org
The tongue of an Amur leopard has sharp-pointed rasps, called papillae, which are used to scrape the meat off the bones of its prey
Image: wwf.org
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