Habitat loss is a huge threat to the Amur leopard species. The Amur leopard is native to Far East Russia. The area is noted for temperate forests, which is the perfect climate for the leopard for most of the year. This is one of the few leopards with adaptations that allow it to thrive in a climate with snowy winters. However, the leopard’s native region is very close to parts of Russia where the winters are too cold for it to survive. Habitat loss causes these big cats to go to those areas farther north where they are not equipped to deal with the harsh winters or lack of prey. Weather is a barrier on one side of its habitat. On the other side of its habitat, the Amur leopard population has been poached to non-existence in parts of China and Korea. In addition to poaching, there is little area for the Amur leopard to live in in these countries because development has eliminated its natural habitat. The Amur leopard is a dwindling population trapped between two areas where it is impossible for it to survive. These factors have led to a very high mortality rate among Amur leopards. Conservationists who study the population have noted that although new leopards are being born, the older ones are dying off prematurely. This means the population remains stagnant rather than having the necessary growth to get off the critically endangered species list. In many cases, the reason for early death is a lack of food.