“The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has already prepared amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In particular, we are prepared to introduce amendments that call for increasing the severity of punishment for the illegal acquisition and sale of precious wild animals listed in the Russian Red Data Book or those species of animals protected by international treaties to which the Russian Federation is a party,” Minister Donskoi said at the news conference on December 24. He added that stamping out illegal wildlife trapping must be a ministry priority in order to ensure the further development of the specially protected natural territories.

In addition, Mr Donskoi said that the Far Eastern leopard population has increased up to 80 species, noting that their number had been much smaller up until recently. These data were obtained through the simultaneous count of Far Eastern leopards and Amur tigers held in the Primorye Territory in early 2015. Specialists monitored and differentiated the animals by their tracks in the snow.

“Incidentally, this progress owes its success to the system of specially protected areas, particularly in the Primorye and Khabarovsk Territories. Five national parks, including the well-known Land of the Leopard National Park, have been opened. In my opinion, further efforts must be aimed at creating more protected reserves, which will provide the necessary conditions for the predators’ development,” Mr Donskoi said.

The minister added that implementation of the Environment Ministry’s programme for the reintroduction of the Far Eastern leopard to the wild will launch in 2016.