Leopards in Europe? It depends a bit on definition - but the region where Europe meets Asia (e.g. Turkey, Georgia) has a very high biodiversity with representatives from both faunas. This picture was taken with a camera trap in Vachlovani National Park in southeast Georgia in April 2004 and was the first hard evidence for the presence of leopards in the country. The Caucasus is still home to a very small remnant population of leopards. So far they have been best surveyed in neighbouring Armenia and Azerbaijan. Although this region and species are both outside the scope of the LCIE's work, we hope that some of our experience can be of use to conservationists in other regions.
Text: John Linnell / Photo: Bejan Lortkipanidze / NACRES