Posted on April, 06 2005

On March 9, 2005 at 1:54 a.m. one of the four camera traps set by the Armenian scientists reacted to the Caucasian leopard on Armenia’s Megri ridge.

This is the first case of a leopard being depicted in its natural habitat in this country.

Karen Manvelyan, the WWF-Caucasus Armenian Office’s Director, is convinced that thanks to WWF’s almost three-year involvement in the Leopard Conservation Project, this animal has now settled in this area.

"Our work here has convinced us that there must be around 5-7 examples of these fantastic cats in this area and we are doing our best to protect their privacy."

Based on the considerable size of the animal the experts assume that it should be a male, but there have also been other conjectures.

According to Igor Khorosian, an independent expert, the leopard’s swollen belly suggests it could be female.

"Mating of leopards in the Caucasus occurs in January and my field companion, who was tracking the animal, heard its rasping calls and later found many signs that proved mating behaviour. So it is quite possible that our leopard is female and it is pregnant."

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Karen Manvelyan
Director, Armenian Office
WWF Caucasus Programme
kmanvelyan@wwfcaucasus.am