The review provides detailed information on the stages of development of the network of protected areas in the range of the Far Eastern leopard, starting in 1916. The last breeding population of this subspecies remained by the end of the 20th century only in southwestern Primorye. Thanks to environmental protection measures, its population has increased 4-fold in 25 years (up to 120 individuals). A huge role in the conservation and restoration of the Far Eastern leopard has been played by the network of protected areas, which over the years has increased in its range from 1,532 km to 4,011 km (74% of habitats). The main importance in this case is the national park Land of the Leopard. The increased population in Russia has become a source for the restoration of the leopard in the neighboring territories of China. Organized in 2021, the “Northeast National Park of Tigers and Leopards”, with an area of 14,065 km, includes the Hunchun, Wangqing and Laoyeling nature reserves created here earlier, which played a crucial role in preserving the habitats of these rare species in Northeast China. The development of a network of protected areas has also ensured the restoration of the independent Eastern Manchurian Amur tiger population, which has grown from 20-25 to 85-90 individuals. The completion of the formation of the network of protected areas was the proclamation of the Russian-Chinese transboundary nature reserve Land of Big Cats on May 16, 2024. It has become one of the largest natural reserves in Northeast Asia with an area of 18.3 thousand km, with the potential to preserve habitats for 300 Far Eastern leopards and 150 Amur tigers.
Darman et al. (Thu,) studied this question.