Actor and entertainer Oleg Vereshchagin has joined the programme to protect Far Eastern leopards. He became the Keeper of Leo 216M, a young male inhabitant of Land of the Leopard National Park, and named the leopard Gavryusha.

Oleg Vereshchagin showed his support for nature conservation by donating the five million roubles he won on a television show to the preservation of Far Eastern leopards in the Primorye Territory. “I am happy to be able to make my small contribution to the protection of this unique and rare cat that lives in Russia,” the actor said.

The title of Leopard Keeper gave the actor the opportunity to name one of the 121 Far Eastern leopards in Land of the Leopard National Park. The entertainer will receive regular updates about “his” leopard thanks to the camera traps installed in the national park.

Gavryusha (Leo 216M), the leopard sponsored by Vereshchagin, is about three years old. He lives in the central part of the national park, in the valley of the Brusya River near the Chinese border. Camera traps have been spotting him here for the past two years.

The donation made by Oleg Vereshchagin will be used to purchase new equipment, including gear to protect the national park from wildfires.