Portrait of Koshka

Koshka is one of the two Amur leopards at the San Diego Zoo. He and his brother, Primorye, were born in May of 2011 as part of a breeding program to help this critically endangered species. It is quite a privilege to see these beautiful cats, and a rare sight, since the estimated population of the Amur leopard in the wild is a mere 30 individuals. They are found in the forests of the Russian Far East.
The Amur leopard is an impressively strong cat, able to run up to 37 miles per hour. They have the ability to leap more than 19 feet horizontally and up to 10 feet vertically. When I've seen Koshka make that kind of jump, straight up from the ground to a thick branch or the highest rock, it seems to be effortless, and takes my breath away!