Anatolian Leopard Panthera pardus tulliana

Critically endangered or possibly extinct.Mediterranean Monk Seal ,Taurus Frog and Toy Kusu- Bustard are also near extinction.

Turkey, a natural land bridge connecting Europe and Asia, was historically home to a myriad of mammalian species, including a full complement of carnivores such as the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica), Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata), gray wolf (Canis lupus), striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), brown bear (Ursus arctos), Anatolian leopard (Panthera pardus tulliana), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), caracal (Felis caracal), Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), golden jackal (Canis aureus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European wildcat (Felis silvestris caucasica), pine marten (Martes martes), and other smaller mustelid species. Most of the largest carnivores have been extirpated while others are in decline.

Anatolian Leopard, Panthera pardus tulliana

Anatolian Leopard is one of the last members of Leopard subspecies. Anatolian Leopard's length reaches up to 200-250 cm, females are 35-50 kg and males 45-70 kg in weight. Their lifetime is about 20 years. Strong and agile Anatolian Leopard feeds on wild ungulates, chamois, deer, boar and birds. Anadolu Leopards lived in forest and hill regions of Aegean,West Mediterranean, East Mediterranean and East Anatolia. Scarcity of hunting resources directed them to settling areas, because of this they were usually killed.

The last official record about Anatolian Leopard was in 1974-1-17. This record was about killing a Anatolian Leopard because of Leopard's attack to a woman Bağözü Village, 5 km far from Beypazarı. Most of the views are about to die out, but it is suggested that there is still 10-15 Anatolian Leopard in Turkey. In 2001, around Dandi region in East Mediterranean, around Müsikli Brook in East Blacksea; in 2004, in Pokut Plateau in East Blacksea region, it has been seen. Volunteers' works still continues to prove assets of Anatolian Leopards and to protect them.

Leopards (Panthera pardus) are one of the four 'big cats' of the genus Panthera. (The others are the lion, tiger, and jaguar.) They range in size from 1 to almost 2 metres long, and weigh between 30 and 70 kg. Females are typically around two-thirds the size of males.Most leopards are light tan or fawn with black spots, but their coat color is highly variable. The spots tend to be smaller on the head, larger and have pale centres on the body.Originally, it was thought that a leopard was a hybrid between a lion and a panther, and the leopard's common name derives from this belief; leo is the Latin for lion, and pard is an old term meaning panther.