Leopard survival requires increased conservation efforts, say scientists
Source: Christian Science Monitor
Leopard survival requires increased conservation efforts, say scientists
A new study recommends upgrading the threat status of leopards,
who now occupy only a fraction of their once expansive terrain.
By Ben Rosen, Staff MAY 4, 2016
Leopards occupy less than one-third of their historic range and need increased international protections, according to a study published in PeerJ on Wednesday.
The study's authors are calling for the the International Union for Conservation of Nature to raise the leopard's threat status from "near threatened" to "vulnerable" on the widely respected Red List.
Upgrading the leopard's status could spur conservation efforts to save the big cat, as has happened for other charismatic species who have seen their populations rebound because of their Red List classifications.
"Our next steps in this very moment will determine the leopard's fate," Andrew Jacobson, the study's lead author, told National Geographic. "The international conservation community must double down in support of initiatives protecting the species."
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Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2016/0504/Leopard-survival-requires-increased-conservation-efforts-say-scientists-video
Related: Leopard (Panthera pardus) status, distribution, and the research efforts across its range
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