In Cambodia , the mankind ’s last breeding population of Indochinese leopards is on the verge of quenching .
Once widespread across Indochina – an surface area cover Cambodia , Laos , and Vietnam – Indochinese leopard populations have declined by 72 percent over a five - twelvemonth period . A report published in theRoyal Society Open Sciencejournal revealed one of the lowest concentration of leopards ever report in Asia – just one cat per 100 solid kilometers ( 39 square nautical mile ) .
" This universe represents the last glimmer of hope for leopards in all of Laos , Cambodia , and Vietnam – a subspecies on the sceptre of blinking out , ” say study co - author Dr Jan Kamler in astatement . “ No longer can we , as an international residential district , command conservation of this alone wild cat . ”
news program of the decreased population comes just two years afterresearchers announcedthe Indochinese leopard lose more than 95 pct of its ambit . Now , researcher estimate there are just over 1,000 breeding adult in Southeast Asia and expect theIUCNto tilt the subspecies as “ critically endangered ” this year .
Leopards are threaten by a routine of things , nearly all of which are human - related . Illegal hunting to meet the human race ’s rising demand ofbushmeatmeans poachers promiscuously pose snares that can fascinate and kill them , as well as decline their natural food sources .
As tiger population keep on todecrease , investigator say poachers are also turning to leopard skins and other consistency parts to sell through the illegal wildlife trade .
Oddly enough , this declination in LTTE is providing space for the highly - adaptable andopportunisticleopards to fill a predatory void . scientist found that leopard are feeding on banteng , a species of wild cattle five times larger than the leopard . They ’re the only leopard that targets such a large prey and conceive the cats have wobble their prey targets after local Panthera tigris populations went nonextant in 2009 .
From snow leopards to puma , big cats on every continent are facing increasing pressures – and the populace is beginning to pay tending .
“ The story is similar for all the big cats , " read UN Secretary‑General António Guterres in astatement . " They are collectively under threat from habitat loss , climate change , poaching , illicit trafficking , and human‑wildlife conflict . We are the cause of their diminution , so we can also be their redemption . "
The United Nations has dedicated its annualWorld Wildlife Dayon March 3 to large cats under the banner “ Big Cats : Predators Under Threat ” .
" As the world gathers to celebrate World Wildlife Day this Saturday , we must band together in action mechanism , not just in words , to curb the epidemic of poaching facing this gorgeous crowing qat and others around the world , ” said Kamler .
