Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov chaired a meeting of Far Eastern Leopards NGO Board of Directors, addressing issues of preserving and developing populations of this species.

In his opening remarks, Mr Ivanov announced that over the last two years, the number of Far Eastern leopards increased nearly twofold. As of today, 57 leopards have been identified.

Sergei Ivanov noted that since signing the Cooperation Agreement between the Land of the Leopard Russian National Park and bordering Chinese preserves, monitoring of the leopard population is being carried out jointly with Chinese experts. Mr Ivanov expressed the opinion that current conditions for protecting Far Eastern leopards allow for the promotion of ecotourism to observe leopards and Amur tigers in their habitats.

The Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office also stressed that a new article in the Criminal Code stipulates penalties not only for poaching but also for the possession and distribution of Far Eastern leopard skins.

In addition, Sergei Ivanov expressed hope that the Narvinsky tunnel will be in operation by the end of 2015, ensuring that leopard migration routes do not intersect with highways.