Unique photos and videos of Far Eastern leopards and Amur tigers from Land of the Leopard won several categories of the national Camera Trap 2019 contest. Photos of rare animals taken by employees of the national park’s scientific department earned many votes and high marks from the expert jury.

The fifth edition of the contest took place between 9 September and 25 December at the contest website, www.конкурс-фотоловушка.рф. Winners were chosen by an open vote, but taking into consideration the jury’s opinion. Over the year, scientists chose unique shots, which won the highest marks, when checking the automatic cameras (camera traps) in Land of the Leopard.

A graceful Far Eastern leopard won the Photo category for Felines: the photogenic animal was caught amid golden autumn leaves in the national park’s forest. The Video category was won by the elderly leopard Leo 10M, nicknamed Lord.

The Camera Trap 2019 award ceremony will be held on 17 January 2020 as part of the Russia’s Primeval Nature festival.

Camera traps are the main tool used to study leopards in the national park. More than 400 cameras monitor an area of 360,000 hectares of the park, installed there with the support of the Far Eastern Leopards autonomous non-profit organisation.