Javan Leopard

The Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) is a leopard subspecies confined to the Indonesian island of Java and has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2008. The population is estimated at less than 250 mature individuals, with a decreasing population trend. The total remaining habitat is estimated at only 2,267.9 to 3,277.3 km2 (875.6 to 1,265.4 sq mi). The Javan leopard was initially described as being black with dark black spots and silver-grey eyes. Javan leopards have either a normal spotted coat, or a recessive phenotype resulting in an all black coat. The Javan leopard is confined to the Indonesian island of Java in many of its national parks. It inhabits a variety of habitats ranging from patches of dense tropical rainforest in the south-western part of the island, to the mountains, and to dry deciduous forests and scrub in the east. In the 1990s, it survived in the seral stages of successional vegetation patterns, which made it less susceptible to human's disruptive activities than many other mammals.