The employees of the Interior Ministry’s regional office in the Primorye Territory have become a leopard keeper and chose the name for the unnamed leopard Leo 86M. The leopard was named Styopa after the famous brave and noble police officer from Soviet poems and cartoons.

It is not by accident that the Primorye regional office is now a leopard keeper: its employees have efficiently counteracted poaching together with Land of the Leopard staff. In 2018, the police helped to institute proceedings for four criminal and nine administrative offences and to hold 10 anti-poaching raids.

“We consider it important to develop efficient cooperation with the police. While protecting the habitat of the Far Eastern leopard, Primorye police officers know that they are working for the benefit of their spotted charge,” said Yevgeny Stoma, acting director of Land of the Leopard.

The staff of the Interior Ministry’s regional office in the Primorye Territory took part in naming the leopard. Police officers suggested various names, but the best one was chosen by the office head, Police Maj. Gen. Nikolai Afanasyev. Thus, the leopard received the name of the main character of Soviet writer Sergei Mikhalkov’s poems, Uncle Styopa.

The police officer Stepan Stepanov is a kind and brave man famous for his good deeds. Just like his namesake, the male leopard Leo 86M is in good shape. Judging from camera trap images, Styopa is not afraid of a challenge and is always ready to conquer the highest hills and to protect his ground from intruders. Styopa the leopard is about five years old.

“Given the importance of preserving rare animal species both in Russia and the world, the regional office management personally monitor the detection of violations, the legitimacy of proceedings related to each case of illegal hunting at the protected area, as well as the investigation of the relevant criminal cases,” Nikolai Afanasyev said.