Amur leopard

noun

: a highly endangered leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) formerly inhabiting southeastern Siberia, Manchuria, and Korea but now much restricted in range

The Amur leopard is the northern most of the eight leopard sub-species, and lives only in a small corner of the Far East near the Sino-Russian border.

—Tom Parfitt, Guardian (London), 2 June 2005

Zoo staff began an Amur leopard population management plan last year, in which the zoo will oversee captive breeding in North America for the world's rarest large cat.

—Maricella Miranda, Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 8 Mar. 2007

Word History

Etymology

from the Amur river in northeastern Asia

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

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