Endangered Anatolian leopard spotted once again in Türkiye

The endangered Anatolian leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana), which was last captured in a photo in August 2019 for the first time in the country since 1974, has been spotted once again on Türkiye's lands, the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks has announced.

"The legend has reappeared with all its majesty in these ancient lands," the general directorate said in a social media post tagging a photo of the Anatolian leopard.

The statement also said that officials are following the leopard's traces and taking measures to protect the animal so that "these ancient lands will forever be its home."

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Anatolian leopard, a rare species of Türkiye's wildlife, was captured for the first time on Aug. 25, 2019, with the photo traps set up by the general directorate.

"Since 1974, research, monitoring and conservation activities of this rare species, which was thought to be extinct, are meticulously carried out. The Anatolian leopard, the largest leopard subspecies, has an important value not only in terms of biodiversity but also in the history and culture of Anatolia."

According to the findings of researchers, the Anatolian leopard is known to travel more than 25 kilometers a day.